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•TAI.AL  1  ITIC   I.IMONITI-,  1  K(iM    IKoN   MdlNTAlX   MINK,  SHASTA   COUNTY. 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU. 

Ferry  Building,  San  Francisco. 


BULLETIN  No.  23.  San  Francisco,  April,  1902. 


THE 


^ai/, 


er  l^ 


COPPER    RESOURCES 


OF    CALIFORNIA. 


By 
LEWIS  E.  AUBURY, 

State  Mineinloght. 


cOMPt'vieMfS  0# 


By  authority  of  »w   •     '   ■  a.»  A^lB# 

IIEXRY  T.  GAGE,  Governor  of  CaUfoy%tf/^^  msn%^*^^ 


W.  \V.  SHANNON, 


SECOND  EDITION. 


SACRAMENTO: 

SUPERINTENDENT  STATE   PRINTING. 
1905. 


LIBRARY 

UNlVERSn  Y  OF  CALIFORNIA 


coxri-A'TS. 


Faoe. 

CONDITION  OF  Till'.  INOrSTRV               ....  9 

HISTORICAL  NOTKS        --...-  23 

SHASTA  COUNTY 39 

Thk  Copper  Bi;i,'r      ----..  43 

Geology  ok  thk  Copper  Belt            -           -           -           -  53 

Shasta  Coi'NTv  Copper  Mines      .            -            .  66 

COAST  RANGE  DEPOSITS 97 

Siskiyou  Cointy        --....  102 

Del  Norte  Cointy         -           -           -           -           -           -  iii 

Trinity  County         -           -           -           -           -           -  117 

Humboldt  County          --....  126 

Tehama,  Glenn,  and  Colusa  Counties           -           -  129 

Mendocino  County         -           -           -           -           -           -  134 

Lake  County              ......  138 

Napa  County         ........  139 

Sonoma  County          --....  140 

Marin  County      --.....  143 

Alameda  County       ......  144 

Merced  County    --.....  146 

San  Benito  County              .....  146 

San  Luis  Obispo  County            -            •■            -            -            -  147 

THE  SIERRA  NEVADA  COPPER  BELT        ...  149 

Plumas  and  Sierra  Counties            ...  152 

Neyada  County          ......  162 

Yuba  County         .......  171 

Placer  County           -            -            -            -            -            -  172 

El  Dorado  County         ......  174 

Amador  County          ......  182 

Calayeras  Cointy          ....                       -  187 

Alpine  County          ......  199 

Tuolumne  County          ......  200 

Mariposa  Cointy      ......  203 

Madera  County    ...-.--  217 

(3) 


92T^iO 


4  CONTENTS — LIST    OF    ILLl'STRATIONS. 

THK  SIERRA  NEVADA  C0I'PI;R  BELT— CoNTiNiKn—  page. 

Fresno  County     -------  224 

Tulare  County          ...---  233 

Kern  County        -------  237 

SOUTHERN  AND  EASTERN  DEPOSITS       -            -            -  242 

Mono  County        -------  242 

Inyo  County    -------  243 

San  Bernardino  County           -----  249 

RiYERSiDE  County     ------  255 

San  Diego  County  -  -  -  -  -  -      259 

Los  Angeles  County             .           .           .           -           -  260 

APPENDIX        --------  263 

The  State  Minini;  Bureau            .           .           -           -  263 

California  Miner  a  i.  Statistics         .           -            .           -  274 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page. 
vStalactitic  Linionite  from  Iron  Mountain  Mine,  Shasta  Co.    Frontispiece. 

Bully  Hill  Mines  and  Smelter,  Shasta  County      -             -             -  11 
Calcining   furnaces  of  the  Mountain   Copper   Company,  Keswick, 

Shasta  County          -            -            -            -            -            -            -  '3 

Mountain  Copper  Company's  Smelter,  Keswick,  Shasta  Co.     -  15 
Surface  mining  plant  of  the  Mountain  Copper  Company,  in  Slick 

Rock  Canon,  with  Iron  Mountain  at  the  right                 -             -  32 

Blister  copper  from  Bully  Hill  Smelter  awaiting  shipment         -  33 

Tunnel  entrance  at  Sugar  Loaf  Copper  Mine,  Shasta  County           -  35 

View  of  Bully  Hill  Copper  Mines  from  the  north            -            -  47 

Bullv  Hill,  Shasta  County,  showing  original  tunnel  opened  in  1863  -  49 

Geological  sections  according  to  available  data,  etc.       -             -  59 

Sketch  showing  ore  deposits  of  Iron  Mountain  Mine             -             -  62 

Sketch  showing  ore  bodies  of  Balaklala  and  Shasta  King  Mines   -  64 

Smelter  of  the  Mountain  Copper  Company,  Keswick,  Shasta  Co.     -  69 
McDougal   roasting   furnace,    Keswick   Smelter,   ISIountain   Copper 

Company,  Shasta  County         -             -             -             -             -  71 

Roasting  stalls  at  Bully  Hill  Smelter,  Shasta  County           -            -  76 
Smelter  at  the  Bully  Hill  Mines,  Shasta  County               -             -  77 
Chute  between  Tunnels  Nos.  2  and  3,  electric  power  house  and  tim- 
ber sheds,  Bully  Hill  Mines            -            -            -            -            -  79 

View  of  Bully  Hill  Smelter  from  mouth  of  No.  3  Tunnel           -  79 

Shasta  King  Mine  of  the  Trinity  Copper  Company,  Shasta  Co.       -  83 


LIST   OF    ILLl'STRATIONS.  5 

Pace. 
Gossan  croppings  and  tunnel,  Balaklala  Mine  Shasta  Co.         -  S5 

Ore  (lump  and  tunnel,  Mammoth  Copper  Mine,  Sliasta  Co.  -         S9 

Uom  Paul  Claims,  j^ossan  croppings,  Shasta  County       -  -  91 

Blue  Ledge  group  of  copper  mines,  Siskiyou  County  -  -       luS 

Preston  Peak  group  of  copper  mines,  Siskiyou  County  -  1 10 

Low  Divide  District,  Del  Norte  County  -  -  -  -       113 

Granite  Group,  Trinity  County       -  -  -  -  -  121 

Croppings  60  feet  wide,  Lsland  Mountain  Copper  Mine         -  -        123 

Croppings  130  feet  wide.  Island  Mountain  Copper  .Mine  -  123 

Bowlder  of  copper  ore  60  feet  across  hase,  30  feet  deep,  25  ftet  across 

top,  Island  Mountain  Copper  Mine,  Trinity  County      -  -       125 

Bowlders  of  copper  ore  on  north  bank  of  Eel  River,  from  outcrop  500 

feet  distant,  Island  Mountain  Copper  Mine,  Trinity  Co.     -  125 

Gray  Ivagle  Copper  Claim,  Colusa  County      -  -  -  -        13^ 

Redwood  Copper  yueen  Mine,  Mendocino  County  -  -  137 

Copper  croppings,  Williams  Claims,  Genesee,  Plumas  County       -       157 
Mountain  on  which  is  located  the  Duncan  group  of  copper  mines, 

Genesee,  Plumas  County,  near  Floiirnoy's    -  -  -  157 

Ideal  cross-section  of  Spenceville  formation  -  -  -       164 

Plant  of  the  Spence  Mineral  Company,  Spenceville        -  -  165 

Sketch  map  of  Mineral  Hill  group  of  mines  -  -  -  -       16S 

Cosumnes  Copper  Mine,  HI  Dorado  County  -  -  -  179 

Contraband  Tunnel,  HI  Dorado  Countv  -  -  -  -       J79 

Union  Copper  Mine,  Copperopolis,  Calaveras  County    -  -  191 

Peiin  Copper  Mining  Company's  Mine,  at  Cainpo  Seco        -  -       193 

Smelting  works  of  the  Penn  Mining  Company,  Campo  Seco     -  195 

Napoleon  Copper  Mine,  Calaveras  County     -  -  -  -       iy6 

Green  Mountain  Copper  Mine,  Mariposa  County  -  -  205 

Dump  of  the  Green  Mountain  Copper  Mine,  Mariposa  County        -       205 
At  the  Green  Mountain  Copper  Mine,  Mariposa  County  -  207 

Lone  Tree  Mine,  Mariposa  County       -----       207 
Pocahontas  Copper  Mine,  Mariposa  County         .  -  -  209 

White  Rock,  Mariposa  County  -  -  -  -  -       211 

White  Rock  Mine,  Mariposa  County  -  -  -  -  211 

La  Victoria  Mine,  Mariposa  County     -  -  -  -  -       214 

Buchanan  Copper  Mine,  Madera  Count\-  -  .  -  219 

California   Copper   Company's    property,    Daulton    ranch,    Madera 

County  -.-.-...       221 

California  Copper  Company's  Smelter,  at  Madera  -  -  223 

Mining  plant  of  the  Copper  King  Mining  Company,  limited,  Fresno 

County  --------       227 

Shipping  station  of  the  Copper  King  Mining  Company,  limiteil,  at 

Deering,  on  S.  P.  R.  R.  -  -  -  -  -  229 

Smelter  of  the  Copper  King,  limited,  at  Seal  Bluff  Landing,  Contra 

Costa  County  .-....-       229 

Converter   furnaces  in   course   of  erection,  Copper   King,  limited, 

Seal  Bluff  Landing,  Contra  Costa  County  ,    -  -  -  231 

Copper  Mountain  Mining  Company's  claims,  Tulare  County  -       235 


6  LIST   OF    ILLL'STRATIONS. 

rAGE. 
Greenback  Copper  Mine,  Kern  County     -  -  -  -  239 

Vertical  section  through  stope  in  Greenback  Copper  Mine  -       240 

Croppings  of  Copper  King  Mine,  Ubehebe  District,  Inyo  Co.     -  247 

Copper  croppings  at  Dodd's  Springs,  Ubehebe  District,  Inyo  Co.     -       247 
Ferry  Building,  San  Francisco,  one  half  the  upper  floor  of  whicli  is 

occupied  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  •  -  -  264 

Mineral  Museum,  California  State  Mining  Bureau    -  -  -       266 

Library  and  free  reading-room,  California  State  Mining  Bureau  267 

Laborator)-,  California  State  Mining  Bureau  -  -       269 

Draughting  Department,  California  State  Mining  Bureau  -  271 


.  MAPS  (Folders). 

Relief  map  of  California. 

Map  showing  location  of  tlie  copper  deposits  of  California. 

Map    of    a    portion    of    the    Shasta    County    Copper    Belt    east    of    the 

Sacramento  River. 
Map  of  the  Shasta  County  Copper  Belt  west  of  the  Sacramento  River. 
Geological  map  of  the  western  portion  of  the  Shasta  County  Copper  Belt. 
Geological  map  of  the  east-central  portion  of  the  Shasta  County  Copper 

Belt. 
Island  Mountain  Consolidated  Copper  Mines,  Trinity  County. 
Green  Mountain  Group  of  Mining  Claims,  Mariposa  County. 


LETTER  UP  TRANSMirTAL. 


To  His  Excellency,  Hexry  T.  Gage,  Governor  of  the  State  of 
California,  and  the  Honorable  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
State  Mining  Bureau: 

Gentlemen:  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  the  results  of  a 
portion  of  the  recent  work  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  as 
embodied  in  Bulletin  No.  23,  entitled  "  The  Copper  Resources 
of  California." 

This  is  the  first  of  a  .series  of  bulletins  on  special  features  of 
the  mining  industry  of  California  to  which  the  energies  of  the 
State  Mining  Bureau  have  been  largely  turned  during  the  cur- 
rent fiscal  year,  and  the  first  to  be  completed  of  the  four  for 
which  material  has  so  far  been  gathered.  The  great  and 
slightly  realized  extent  of  the  copper  resources  of  California, 
the  new  activity  which  has  recently  come  to  the  copper  industry 
of  this  State,  and  the  great  possibilities  and  promise  of  its 
future,  make  timely  and  appropriate  the  attention  here  given 
to  our  mineral  product  of  second  rank. 

The  purpose  which  has  guided  the  field  and  office  work  of 
which  this  bulletin  is  the  product  has  been  primarily  that  of 
setting  forth  the  practical  and  economic  facts  that  could  most 
readily  afford  to  the  people  of  the  State,  and  to  others  elsewhere, 
a  comprehension  of  the  extent  of  our  copper  resources,  the  con- 
dition and  prospects  of  our  copper  industry  at  this  early  stage 
of  its  development,  and  the  opportunities  open  to  capital  and 
enterprise.  In  pursuance  of  this  policy,  the  purely  scientific 
and  technical  phases  of  the  subject  have  been  given  but  small 
and  incidental  attention.  The  value  that  would  attach  to  the 
results  of  special  research  in  the  geology  and  mineralogy  of  the 
widely  distributed  and  much  varied  copper  deposits  of  the  State, 

(7) 


8  LETTER   OF  TRANSMITTAL. 

and  to  expert  expositions  of  technical  features,  is  fully  recog- 
nized, but  a  fair  apportionment  of  the  time  and  resources  of  the 
Bureau  did  not  permit  the  work  to  take  this  direction.  What 
has  been  sought  is  to  giv^e  a  general  understanding  of  the  status 
and  significance  of  the  copper  industry  and  a  brief  descriptive 
account  of  the  principal  copper  mines  and  prospects  that  seem 
worthy  of  present  attention.  It  is  hoped  that  the  chief  object 
of  this  bulletin,  that  of  stimulating  the  development  of  our 
copper  resources  by  both  home  and  foreign  enterprise,  will  be 
in  a  measure  gained. 

The  field  work  on  this  bulletin  began  in  July,  1901.  During 
the  succeeding  months,  field  assistants  visited  every  county  in 
the  State.  Every  facility  was  granted  the  assistants  in  making 
inspection  of  mines  and  prospects,  except  at  a  few  of  the  larger 
properties,  and  the  obtaining  of  necessary  information  regard- 
ing the  latter  and  of  supplementary  information  along  various 
lines  caused  the  issuance  of  the  bulletin  to  be  delaj-ed  some- 
what. The  assistants  who  have  gathered  the  data  here  pre- 
sented were  P.  C.  DuBois,  F.  M.  Anderson,  J.  H.  Tibbits,  G.  A. 
Tweedy,  Marion  Anbury,  and  J.  O.  Denny. 
Very  respectfully, 

LEWIS  E.  AUBURY, 

State  Mineralogist. 
April  5,  1902. 


THH  COPPF.R  Rl^SOrRCES  OP 
CALIPURNIA. 


CONUITIUN  UF  THE  INDUSTRY. 


Copper  has  recently  risen  to  the  pUice  of  second  importance 
in  the  annual  record  of  California's  mineral  production,  and 
has  assumed  a  new  and  large  significance  in  the  industrial  life 
of  the  vState.  With  an  output  of  34.93 1.985  pounds,  valued  at 
$5,501,782,  in  1 901  California  is  the  fourth  copper-producing 
State  of  the  Union.  While  Michigan,  Montana,  and  Arizona 
ver>-  greatly  exceed  this  output,  the  figures  of  the  world's 
production  show  California  to  be  one  of  the  important  sources  of 
the  world's  copper  supply,  and  an  intelligent  measure  of  the 
copper  resources  of  California  and  of  the  condition  and  pros- 
pects of  the  copper  industry  shows  that  the  State  will  undoubt- 
edly soon  assume  a  much  larger  importance  as  a  copper  field 
and  that  it  will  long  remain  a  strong  factor  in  the  industry. 

The  copper  industry-  is  an  old  one  in  California.     Many  thou- 
sands of  tons  of  rich  ores  were  shipped  for  reduction  from  San 
Francisco  to  the  Atlantic  Coast  and  Europe  between  1861  and 
1868;  but  thereafter  for  many  years  the  industry  remained  at 
a  low  ebb,  and  copper  was  one  of  the  minor  mineral  products 
of  the  vState.     In  1896  came  the  discovery  of  the  possibilities 
of  the  large  copper  belt  in  Shasta  County,  the  result  of  the 
opening  and  successful  operation  of  the  mine  of  the  Mountain 
Copper   Company   in    Iron   Mountain.     This    mine  soon  took 
high  rank  among  the  great  copper  mines  of  the  world,  and  its 
output  is  now  exceeded  by  but  six  mines  in  the  United  States 
and  by  but  eight  in  the  world.     The  further  exploitation  of  the 
Shasta  County  copper  belt  soon  followed  the  early  success  of 
the   Mountain   Copper  Company,  and  in    1901    another  great 

(9) 


10  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

property,  the  Bully  Hill,  entered  the  field  as  a  producer, 
equipped  with  a  modern  smelting  plant.  Its  reduction  facilities 
and  output  are  expected  to  be  doubled  during  1902,  when  the 
product  of  the  Bully  Hill  is  likely  to  equal  that  of  Iron 
Mountain. 

The  Mountain  Copper  Mine  is  the  only  new  mine  in  the 
world  with  a  very  large  output  that  has  become  a  producer 
within  nearly  a  decade,  and  the  Bully  Hill  promises  to  soon 
achieve  a  similar  distinction.  Two  or  three  other  properties 
of  this  belt  are  now  undergoing  exploitation,  with  prospects  of 
becoming  large  producers  within  two  years.  In  other  parts  of 
the  State  are  several  smaller  producing  mines,  and  quite  a 
number  that  are  undergoing  development  promise  to  contribute 
more  or  less  to  the  State's  output  in  the  future.  California's 
copper  resources  thus  command  interested  attention  at  the 
present  time,  not  only  because  of  their  relation  to  the  material 
prosperity  of  the  vState,  but  because  of  their  wider  significance 
as  a  comparatively  new  and  a  very  important  source  of  the 
world's  copper  supply. 

California's  copper  deposits  have  a  remarkably  wide  distribu- 
tion, being  scattered  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  State 
and  occurring  in  practically  every  one  of  its  fifty-seven  coun- 
ties. Thousands  of  deposits  have  been  subjects  of  mining 
locations  at  different  times,  and  hundreds  have  yielded  at  least 
a  few  tons  of  merchantable  ore  as  a  result  of  superficial  pros- 
pecting. There  is  hardly  a  county  in  the  State  which  has  not 
at  some  time  made  at  least  such  small  contributions  to  the 
copper  supply.  Such  deposits,  usually  small  as  far  as  revealed 
by  slight  development,  are  scattered  at  varying  intervals  along 
the  borders  of  the  State  and  throughout  every  section  of  it, 
except  in  the  detrital  deposits  of  the  valleys. 

The  deposits  of  economic  importance,  however,  are  mainly 
concentrated  in  certain  belts  and  districts  Avhich  require  chief 
consideration.  For  convenience,  the  copper  deposits  of  the 
State  are  in  this  bulletin  grouped  in  four  geographical  divis- 
ions: Shasta  County;  the  Coast  Range;  the  Sierra  Nevada 
range;  and  the  general  arid  region  of  southeastern  California. 

The  leading  copper  district  of  California,  and  the  one  that 
promises  to  remain  of  overshadowing  importance  for  a  good 
while  in  the  future  in  total  output  of  metal,  is  that  of  Shasta 
County,    in  the   north-central  part  of    the  State.     Here  is  a 


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11 


12  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

series  of  copper  deposits  forming  a  curved  belt  nearly  30  miles 
long,  and  a  copper  district  which  must  soon  rank  with  the  few 
great  individual  copper  districts  of  the  world. 

Of  second  importance  is  the  copper  belt  of  the  western  slope 
of  the  vSierras,  which  in  territorial  magnitude  is  not  rivaled  in 
the  world.  Here  is  an  almost  continuous  series  of  copper 
deposits  stretching  north  and  south  for  about  400  miles.  In 
this  belt  the  principal  copper  mines  of  the  State  in  former 
3'ears  were  developed,  and  along  it  there  will  undoubtedly  be 
many  producing  mines  developed  in  the  future. 

While  the  Coast  Range  displays  copper  deposits  throughout 
its  length  of  500  miles,  its  iniportant  copper  districts  are  in  its 
northern  portion,  extending  for  about  150  miles  southward 
from  the  Oregon  line.  Except  in  Dsl  Norte  County,  in  the 
northwestern  corner  of  the  State,  where  several  mines  were 
productive  of  considerable  quantities  of  shipping  ore  nearly 
forty  years  ago,  the  deposits  of  this  range  have  not  been 
developed  l)2yond  the  most  superficial  prospecting  in  a  few 
instances,  l)ut  surface  indications  point  to  the  widespread 
existence  of  cupriferous  veins  of  sufficient  size  and  value  to 
warrant  development  and  the  expectation  that  this  great 
mineral  region  will  include  profitable  copper  mines  among  its 
industries. 

Many  copper  deposits  are  widely  scattered  throughout 
Southern  California,  especially  through  the  mineralized  desert 
region  of  the  southeastern  part  of  the  State.  These  deposits 
much  resemble  those  of  Arizona  in  their  character. 

THE  COPPER  ORES. 

The  principal  commercially  useful  copper  ores  found  in 
California  are  the  sulphides,  carbonates,  and  silicate  of  copper. 
The  most  common  of  th^se.  and  ths  one  that  may  virtually  be 
found  throughout  the  entire  mineral  belt  of  California,  is 

Chalcopyrite. — Sometimes  designated  as  copper  pyrite. 
This  mineral  is  a  double  sulphide  of  copper  and  iron,  of  a 
brass  yellow  color,  giving  a  greenish-black  streak.  It  has  a 
hardness  of  3.5  to  4  in  the  mineral  scale,  and  a  specific  gravity 
of  4.1  to  4.3,  with  a  metallic  luster  which  is  sometimes  tar- 
nished, showing  iridescence.  It  is  usually  auriferous  and 
argentiferous.     It  is  found,  both  in  crystal  form  and  massive, 


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(i;5) 


14  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

in  gneiss,  crystalline  schists,  serpentine,  etc.,  associated  with 
iron  pyrite,  zinc  blende,  quartz,  calcite,  and  barite  (heavy  spar). 
It  is  composed,  when  pure,  of  copper  34.6,  iron  30.5,  and 
sulphur  34.9. 

Bornite. — Also  known  as  erubescite,  horseflesh  ore,  peacock 
ore;  is,  like  the  former,  a  double  sulphide  of  copper  and  iron, 
of  a  metallic  luster,  with  a  purple  red  to  pinchbeck  brown 
color  on  a  fresh  fracture,  tarnishing  speedily  to  iridescence.  It 
gives  a  pale  grayish-black  streak.  It  has  a  hardness  of  3  and 
specific  gravity  of  4.9  to  5.4,  and  contains  copper  55.5,  iron  16.4, 
sulphur  28.1.  It  has  been  found  in  Pluraas,  Fresno,  Shasta, 
Santa  Clara,  Calaveras,  and  Inyo  counties. 

Chalcocite. — Copper  glance;  is  a  sulphide  of  copper,  of  a 
dark  lead-gray  color,  often  green  on  the  surface,  with  a  metallic 
luster  and  blackish  lead-gray  streak,  often  tarnished  blue  or 
green.  The  hardness  is  2.5  to  3,  and  specific  gravity  5.5  to  5.8. 
It  contains  79.8  copper  and  20.2  sulphur,  with  sometimes  a 
little  iron  and  silver  replacing  part  of  the  copper.  It  has  been 
found  in  Inyo,  San  Bernardino,  San  Diego,  Los  Angeles,  San 
Luis  Obispo,  and  Plumas  counties. 

Covellite. — Is  a  cupric  sulphide,  of  an  indigo  blue  or  darker 
color,  with  a  lead-gray  to  black  shining  streak,  and  sub- 
metallic  luster  when  cr3stalline,  but  dull  when  massive.  The 
hardness  is  1.5  to  2,  and  specific  gravity  4.59  to  4.63.  It  con- 
tains 66.4  copper  and  33.6  sulphur.  This  ore  is  the  result  of 
alteration  from  other  copper  ores,  especially  chalcocite.  It  has 
been  found  in  a  few  localities  in  California. 

Azurite. — Is  a  hydrous  carbonate  of  copper,  of  an  azure  blue 
color,  vitreous  luster  and  a  light  blue  streak.  The  hardness  is 
35  to  4,  and  .specific  gravit}'  3.77  to  3.83.  It  is  transparent  to 
subtranslucent.  This  is  a  valuable  copper  ore,  and  is  found  in 
Calaveras,  Inyo,  and  Monterey  counties.  It  carries  69.2  copper 
oxide,  25.6  carbonic  acid,  and  5.2  water.  ,. 

Malachite. — Is  the  green  carbonate  of  copper;  the  color  is 
bright  green,  giving  a  pale  green  streak;  the  hardness  is  3.5 
to  4,  and  specific  gravity  3.9  to  4.  It  is  found  commonly  mas- 
sive, but  also  incrusting,  with  a  delicate  fibrous  silky  structure. 
It   contains    19.9   carbon   dioxide,  71.9  cupric  oxide,   and   8.2 


■r. 

■1 

^* 
f. 


T. 
■f. 


(15) 


16  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

water.  It  is  a  valuable  copper  ore,  and  when  found  massive 
is  used  for  ornamental  purposes.  It  is  found  in  numerous 
parts  of  California,  but  hitherto  not  massive. 

Cuprite. — Red  oxide  of  copper;  is  an  oxide  of  copper  of 
various  shades  of  red,  from  cochineal  red  to  almost  black.  It 
has  an  adamantine  or  submetallic  to  earthy  luster,  and  a 
brownish  red,  shining  streak.  The  hardness  is  3.5  to  4,  and 
specific  gravity  5.85  to  6.15.  It  contains  88. 8  copper,  ir.2 
oxygen,  and  is  a  common  mineral  in  California,  having  been 
found  with  native  copper  in  Del  Norte  and  Plumas,  also  near 
St.  Helena  in  Napa  County,  further  in  Kern,  Tulare,  Shasta, 
Mono,  Colusa,  Placer,  Trinity,  and  Nevada  counties. 

Native  Copper.-— This  is  pure  copper,  containing  often 
some  silver,  bismuth,  mercury,  etc.  The  color  is  copper  red, 
giving  a  metallic  shining  streak,  and  showing  a  metallic  luster. 
It  has  a  hardness  of  2.5  to  3,  and  a  specific  gravity  of  8.8  to 
8.9;  and  is  found  rather  sparingly  in  California  accompanying 
the  various  other  copper  ores,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of 
igneous  rocks,  although  it  is  also  found  in  clay  slates  and  sand- 
stones. It  has  been  found  in  Calaveras,  Plumas,  Amador, 
Santa  Barbara,  and  Shasta  counties. 

Chrysocolla. — This  mineral  is  a  silicate  of  copper,  with  an 
opal-like  or  enamel-like  texture.  It  varies  in  color,  passing 
from  a  mountain  green  and  bluish  green  to  sk}-  and  turquoise 
blue;  if  impure,  it  may  be  brown  to  black.  It  has  a  vitreous, 
shining  luster,  and  the  streak  (when  pure)  is  white.  The 
hardness  varies  from  2  to  4;  the  specific  gravity  is  2  to  2.238. 
As  it  is  an  alteration  product,  it  is  found  in  connection  with 
other  copper  minerals,  more  especially'  in  the  southern  portion 
of  the  State,  though  very  handsome  specimens  have  been 
found  in  Plumas  County.  It  contains  45.2  copper  oxide,  34.3 
silica,  and  20.5  water.     It  is  a  good  copper  ore. 

Among  the  less  frequent  copper  ores  found  in  California  we 
may  note: 

Melaconite. — Black  oxide  of  copper.  It  is  formed  by 
decomposition  of  chalcopyrite  and  other  copper  ores.  It  is 
found  earthy  black,  massive,  with  a  specific  gravity  of  about 
5,  and  consists  of  79.8  cupric  oxide  and  20.2  oxygen.  It  has 
been  found  in  Calaveras,  Shasta,  and  Kern  counties. 


STATISTICAL    TABI.KS.  17 

Chalcanthite. — This  is  a  native  sulphate  of  copper  (blue 
vitriol),  and  results  from  decoraposition  of  copper  sulphides. 
It  occurs  usually  as  an  efBorescence  in  old  copper  mines.  It 
has  been  found  in  California  in  the  Peck  mine,  Shasta  Countv; 
also  in  L,ake  and  Nevada  counties. 

Tetrahedrite. — Gray  copper  ore  (fahlore).  This  mineral 
has  a  gray  to  iron-black  color  and  streak,  with  metallic  luster, 
a  hardness  of  3  to  4.5,  and  a  specific  gravity  of  4.4  to  5.1.  It 
contains  23.1  sulphur,  24.S  antimony,  and  52.1  copper.  The 
antimony  is  sometimes  replaced  by  arsenic,  when  the  ore  is 
named  Tennanite.     These  ores  frequently  carry  some  silver. 

STATISTICS. 

The  oldest  consecutive  record  of  the  copper  production  of 
California  having  the  stamp  of  official  authority  begins  with 
1882,  when  the  United  States  Geological  Survey  began  its 
mineral  statistics.  "Mineral  Industry"  began  its  annual  min- 
eral record  with  1S92.  The  California  State  Mining  Bureau's 
careful  yearly  compilation  of  the  amounts  and  values  of  the 
vState's  mineral  products  began  in  1894.  There  are  radical 
disagreements  between  the  records  of  the  U.  vS.  Geological 
Sur\-ey  and  those  of  "  Mineral  Industry"  as  to  some  of  the  years 
succeeding  1891,  and  between  these  records  and  that  of  the  State 
Mining  Bureau  as  to  some  of  the  years  succeeding  1893.  The 
following  statistical  record  of  the  copper  product  of  California, 
in  fine  pounds,  for  1882  and  following  years,  is  made  up  of  the 
record  of  the  V.  vS.  Geological  Survey  for  the  years  preceding 
1894  and  of  the  record  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  for  the 
succeeding  >'ears: 

Vcar.  Fine  Pounds.  Year.  Fine  rounds. 

1882 826,695  1892 2,980,944 

1883 1,600,862  1893 239,682 

1884 876,166  1894  738,594 

1885 469,028  1895 225,650 

1886 430.210  1896 1,992,844 

1887  1,600,000  1897 13,638,626 

1888 1,570,021  1898 21,543,229 

1SS9 151,505  1899 23,915,486 

1890 23,347  1900 29,515,512 

189I 3,397.405  I90I 34,931.985 

2— BuL.  23 


18 


THE    COPPER    RESOURCES    OE    CALIFORNIA. 


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20 


TH1-:    COPPKR    KKSOUKCES    OK   CALIFORNIA. 


California's  Copper  Production  in  1901,  by  Counties. 

ProUucl.  in 

County.                                                          Fine  Pounds  Value.* 

Alameda 13,728  $2,162 

Alpine 8,377  ^,3^9 

Amador 52,0(X)  8,190 

Calaveras 1,701,589  268,000 

Fresno 1,159,672  182,648 

Inyo 8,566  1,349 

Kern     429,248  67,606 

Madera 108,430  17.077 

Mariposa     191,622  30,180 

Merced 79.071  1 2,453 

Mono 1,938  305 

Nevada 39.588  6,235 

Placer 11,200  1.764 

Sacramento 2,007  3^6 

San  Bernardino 50,000  7.875 

Shasta 30.990,781  4,881,048 

Stanislaus 79.330  12,494 

Trinity 4,838  761 

Total 34.931,985  15,501,782 

*  Values  estimated  at  15.75  cents  per  pound  as  the  average  price  for 
the  year  at  San  Francisco. 

Relative  Proportions  of  the  Total  Values  of  Leading  Mineral  Products 
of  California  in  1900.     Total  Mineral  Output,  $32,622,945. 


STATISTICAL    TABI.IIS. 


21 


The  Progress  of  the  Copper  Industry  in  the  United  States,  as  shown 
by  the  Production  by  States,  in  pounds,  in  the  years  1885,  1890, 
1895,  and  1900. 


Source. 

Lake  Superior 

Montana 

Arizona     , 

California 

Utah 

Colorado 

Wyoming 

New  Mexico 

Nevada 

Idaho  

South  Dakota 

Maine,  New  Hamp- 
shire, Vermont, 
Tennessee,  and 
Southern  and  Mid- 
dle States  

Lead  desilverizers, 
etc. 

Total  domestic  cop- 
pei  .    

From  imported  ores 
and  pyrites 

Total 


1885 

72,147,889 

67,797.864 

22,706,366 

469,028 

126,199 

1,146,460 


1890. 


1S95. 


1900. 


101,410,277  129,330,749 

112,980,896  190,172,150 

34,796,689  47.953.553 

23.347  218,332 

1,006,636  2,184,708 

3,585,691  6,079,243 


79,839 
8,871 

40,381 


850,034  143.719 


87,243         1,425,914 


442,449 
910,144 

165,875,483 
5,086,841 


378,840    3.105,036 


4,643,439 


145,461,498 

270,738,489 

118,317,764 

28,511,225 

18,354,726 

7,826,949 

4,203,776 

4,169,400 

407,535 
290,163 

15,147 


259.763,092  380,613,404 
6,017,041    5,300,000 


4,820,495 
3,000,000 

606,117,166 
36,380,000 


170,962,324  1  265,780,133  j  385,913,404      642,497,166 


Average  Annual  Price  of  Lake  Copper  in  New  York  since  i860. 


Cents  per  I,b. 
22.25 


19.12 

25-75 

32.S7 

46.25 
36-25 


Year. 

i860. 

1861.. 

1862  . 

1863.. 

1S64. . 

1S65.. 

1866 31.75 

1867 25.12 

1S68 23.62 

1869 23.37 

1870 20.62 

187I  22.62 

1S72 33.00 

1873 29.00 


Year.      Ceiils  per  I,t>. 

1874  23.25 

1875   22.50 

1S76 21.00 

1877 1S.62 

1S78 16.50 

1879 17.12 

1880 20.12 


1881. 

1882 

1883. 

1S84. 

1885 

1S86. 

1887. 


18.12 
18.50 
15-87 
13-87 
.11.12 
,  11.00 
11.25 


Year.      Cents  per  Lb. 

1888   16.66 

18S9 13.75 

189)  15-75 

I89I.  I  2. 87 

1892 11.50 

IS93 10.75 

1894 956 

1895 10.76 

1896 10.88 

1897 11.29 

1898 12.03 

1899 ...  17.61 

1900 16.52 


22  THE   COPPKR    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Table  showing  the   Position  of  Copper  among  the    Principal  Mineral 
Products  of  the  United  States  in  1900. 


I'roducts  Exceeding  $10,000,000  in  Value.               '      Quantity  Value. 

Coal  tons    263,735,265  j  5306,891,364 

rig  Iron,  spot  value   .  .    .  .long  tons      13,789,242  I  259,944,000 

Copper,  value  at  New  York pounds    606,117,166  98,494,039 

Gold,  coinage  value .troy  ounces        3,829,897  79,171,000 

Silver,  coinage  value troy  ounces      57,647,000  74,533,495 

Petroleum barrels      63,362,704  75,752,691 

Stone 48,008, 739 

Lead,  value  at  New  York  •. short  tons            270,824  23,561,688 

Natural  Gas 26,606,463 

Cement barrels      17,231,150  13,283,581 

Brick  Clay 12,000,000 

Zinc,  value  at  New  York short  tons           123,886  10,654,196 

Total  value  of  all  mineral  products  in  1900.  .  .$1,067,605,587. 


HISTORICAL  NOTES. 


The  history  of  the  copper  industry  of  California  is  naturally 
dividedinto  three  periods.     The  first  extended  from   iS6o  to 
I.S6.S,  and  was  a  period  of  active  and  widespread  development 
and  operation  of  copper  mines,  some  of  them  on  a  considerable 
scale,  and  of  the  shipment  of  many  thousands  of  tons  of  copper 
ores  by  sea  to  reduction  works  at  Baltimore,  New  York,  and 
Boston  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  to  Swansea  in  Wales.     The 
second   period  was  one  of  depression  and,  in  fact,  of  almost 
complete  prostration,  extending  from  the  practical  cessation  of 
all   development   in    1.S68    to    1895.     The    third    and    present 
period  is  that  beginning  with  the  operations  of  the  Mountain 
Copper  Company  in  Shasta  County  in    1895,  marked  by  the 
discovery  and  development  of  the  immense  ore  bodies  of  the 
copper  belt  of  Shasta  County,   and  by   a   general  revival  of 
interest  in  the  industry  throughout  the  State  as  a  consequence 
of  the  successes  won  at  the  north  and  of  the  recent  period  of 
high  prices  for  the  metal. 

The  widespread  occurrence  of  copper  in  California  had  been 
known  for  many  years  before  the  industry  began  its  productive 
career,  but  without  attracting  more  than  incidental  attention. 
Old  records  state  that  as  early  as  1840  copper  had  been  noted 
near   Soledad  Pass   in  Los  Angeles  County,  and  that    a])Out 
1854  the  deposits  afterward  worked  there  were  discovered  by  a 
Frenchman   named   Maris.     About    1855    a    small    deposit  of 
copper  ore  was  found  in    Hope   Valley,    Alpine    County,    by 
"Uncle  Billy"  Rodgers,  and  the  specimens  from  it  attracted 
considerable  attention  on  account  of  their  beauty  and  richness, 
but  the  discovery  was  soon  forgotten.     Dr.  J.    B.  Trask,  who 
acted  as  vState  Geologist  from  1 851  to  1854,  discovered  copper 
minerals  in  nearly  every  county  in  the  State,  but  his  reports 
thereon  appear  to  have  had  no  influence  on  the  later  beginning 
and  progress  of  copper  mining  in  California. 

Available  historical  material  is  so    fragmentary  and    often 

(23) 


24  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

unreliable  and  conflicting  that  the  actual  beginning  of  the 
industry  can  not  be  fixed.  A  valuable  and  lengthy  paper  in 
J.  Ross  Browne's  official  report  on  the  Mineral  Resources 
of  the  States  and  Territories  West  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
made  in  1S67,  identifies  the  beginning  with  the  discovery  of  the 
Napoleon  mine  in  Calaveras  County,  late  in  i860,  by  Hiram 
Hughes.  This  is  essentially  an  error,  as  other  records  show 
that  several  copper  mining  companies,  mainly  of  Del  Norte  and 
Calaveras  counties,  were  incorporated  in  that  year,  some  of 
them  in  the  spring.  Langley's  State  Register  for  1859  says, 
in  part,  regarding  the  copper  resources  of  the  State:  "The 
ore  from  the  vicinity  of  the  Pitt  and  McCloud  rivers,  Shasta 
County,  is  said  to  excel  in  richness  the  celebrated  Arizona 
mines,  and  to  contain  in  addition  a  considerable  quantity  of 
gold.  Ore  of  exceeding  richness  has  also  been  found  in 
different  localities  in  El  Dorado  County,  and  a  vein  on  the 
Cosumnes  has  yielded  over  seventy  per  cent  of  pure  metal. 
There  is  a  vein  of  copper  on  the  middle  fork  of  the  Cosumnes 
River,  Mountain  Township,  El  Dorado  County,  now  being 
worked  by  machinery  propelled  by  water.  The  mill  has  three 
stamps  attached,  and  has  so  far  yielded  a  handsome  return  to 
the  proprietors." 

The  last  reference  is  believed  to  be  to  the  old  Cosumnes  mine 
of  that  county,  which  was  opened  chiefly  as  a  gold  mine.  The 
evidence  indicates  that,  at  the  close  of  the  decade  of  the  fifties, 
practical  attention  was  just  turning  to  some  of  the  known 
copper  deposits  of  the  State,  and  that  modest  plans  for  their 
exploration  were  being  quietly  formed. 

However,  that  discovery  by  Hiram  Hughes  late  in  i860 
appears,  from  all  historical  data  here  available,  to  be  entitled 
to  the  honor  of  being  regarded  as  the  real  beginning  of  the 
notable  period  of  copper  mining  that  quickly  ensued,  because  it 
does  not  seem  to  have  resulted  from  what  had  been  known  or 
done  before,  and  because  the  copper  excitement  of  that  day 
was  a  direct  consequence  of  this  and  related  discoveries.  Mr. 
Hughes,  according  to  J.  Ross  Browne's  report,  had  lived  and 
mined  for  gold  for  some  years  in  the  region  of  his  discovery  in 
the  Gopher  Hills,  in  the  low  foothills  of  the  western  end  01' 
Calaveras  County.  When  the  first  Washoe  excitement  broke 
out  he  joined  the  rush  to  the  famous  new  silver  field  of  Nevada, 
and  later  joined  the  returning  procession  of  the  unsuccessful. 


HISTORICAL    XOTKS.  25 

His  observations  of  the  Comstock  lode  had  awakened  his 
interest  in  rocks  he  had  often  seen  near  home,  and  on  his 
return  he  began  prosj>ecting  for  silver.  He  found  the  gossan 
cap  of  what  became  the  yuail  Hill  No.  i  mine,  found  it  rich  in 
gold,  and  began  working  it  as  a  gold  mine.  Soon  after  he 
found  the  gossan  of  what  was  soon  the  Napoleon  mine,  and 
finding  no  gold,  sent  some  of  the  ore  to  San  Francisco  for  assay. 
It  was  reported  to  carry  30  per  cent  copper,  and  to  be  worth 
$120  per  ton.  A  local  excitement  broke  out,  the  lode  was 
traced  and  located  for  a  number  of  miles,  and  hundreds  of 
claims  were  staked  out. 

Among  the  local  people  who  joined  in  the  search  for  rich 
copper  ores  like  those  of  the  Napoleon,  were  W.  R.  Reed, 
Dr.  Blatchly,  and  Mr.  McCarty,  who  in  June,  1861,  made  the 
important  discovery  and  location  of  the  Copperopolis  lode,  a 
few  miles  east  of  the  Napoleon  lode.  McCarty  had  rained  and 
farmed  there  in  the  Salt  Spring  Valley  for  ten  years,  and  in 
1852  had  sunk  a  prospect  shaft  on  the  lode  he  now  helped  to 
locate.  Finding  no  gold  he  quit,  throwing  away  rich  surface 
copper  ores  of  what  was  to  be  the  productive  Keystone  copper 
mine.  Copper  ores  had  in  fact  been  familiar  but  worthless 
rocks  to  these  local  miners  for  many  years.  The  men  named 
located  11,250  feet  of  the  Copperopolis  lode,  and  the  Copper- 
opolis mine  soon  appeared  richer  than  the  Napoleon.  New 
life  was  given  the  local  copper  excitement,  and  more  hundreds 
of  claims  were  staked  out  along  and  near  the  Copperopolis  lode 
for  twenty  miles. 

The  copper  excitement  thus  started  quickly  spread,  and  in  a 
few  months  it  filled  the  vState,  running  its  cour.se  after  the 
natural  manner  of  popular  mining  excitements,  and  expanding 
into  adjoining  vStates  and  Territories.  The  furor  and  specula- 
tive excitement  lasted  as  such  for  about  two  years.  Pros- 
pectors by  hundreds  visited  Copperopolis,  and  went  home  or 
elsewhere  to  search  for  similar  ores  and  formations. 

The  period  of  1862-63  was  marked  by  a  speculative  mania, 
the  organization  of  hundreds  of  copper  mining  companies,  and 
the  wildcat  exploitation  of  slight  surface  prospects.  Copper 
operators  soon  realized  the  fact  that  money,  skill,  and  legiti- 
mate development  were  necessary  to  success,  and  the  boom 
suddenly  burst,  leaving  legitimate  mining  companies  to  here 
and  there  throughout  the  State  pursue  their  efforts  to  make 


26  THK    COPPKR    RESOl'RCKS    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

money  from  the  development  of  mines  and  the  shipment  of 
ores.  The  following  notes  concerning  the  active  period  of  the 
sixties  are  furnished  by  Thomas  Price  of  San  Francisco,  a 
metallurgist  who  has  been  intimately  associated  with  the  Cali- 
fornia copper  industry  almost  since  its  inception: 

It  was  well  on  in  the  year  iS6i  before  anything  considerable  had 
been  done  in  the  development  of  the  newly  discovered  copper  deposits 
of  California,  but  at  this  time  small  shipments  were  made  to  Boston 
and  Baltimore,  and  one  small  lot  was  sent  to  Swansea,  Wales,  by  way  of 
New  York.  By  the  spring  of  1S63  the  shipments  of  copper  ore  from 
California  to  other  parts  of  the  United  States  and  to  Great  Britain  had 
assumed  very  considerable  proportions. 

During  this  period  the  most  important  copper  mines  were  near  the 
towns  of  Copperopolis,  Campo  Seco,  and  Laucha  Plana,  in  Calaveras 
County,  and  the  principal  mines  were  the  Union,  Kej-stone,  and  Empire. 
The  Union  mine,  the  most  extensively  developed  property  in  the  State, 
was  operated  on  a  very  considerable  scale  for  several  years,  and  from  it 
several  thousand  tons  of  ore  were  shipped.  The  mine  was  opened  up  to 
a  depth  of  something  like  600  feet,  and  the  vein  of  solid  pyritic  ore 
averaged  about  14  feet  in  width,  assajang  from  12  to  25  per  cent  copper. 
In  depth,  however,  the  vein  was  found  to  be  considerably  mixed  with 
slate,  and  the  grade  fell  off  from  6  to  8  per  cent. 

The  mines  at  Campo  Seco  and  Lancha  Plana  shipped  several  thousand 
tons  of  chalcopyrite  ore,  but  the  grade  was  not  as  high  as  in  the  mines 
near  Copperopolis.  Between  1863  and  1869  several  hundred  tons  of  ore 
were  shipped  from  the  Napoleon  and  Quail  Hill  mines,  two  mines 
situated  some  six  miles  to  the  west  of  Copperopolis.  From  near  the 
surface  to  a  depth  of  about  200  feet  the  ore  in  the  Napoleon  averaged  20 
per  cent  copper.  The  Quail  Hill  yielded  large  quantities  of  carbonates 
and  oxides  of  copper,  and  carried,  in  addition  to  the  copper,  consider- 
able gold  and  silver.  Several  years  after  it  had  ceased  to  be  worked  as 
a  copper  mine,  a  forty-stamp  mill  was  erected  on  the  ground  and  an 
attempt  was  made  to  operate  it  as  a  gold  and  silver  property,  but  the 
sanguine  expectations  of  the  owners  were  far  from  realized. 

By  stains  and  other  indications  the  copper  belt  in  Calaveras  County 
can  be  traced  for  fully  thirty  miles,  and  during  the  early  sixties  literally 
thousands  of  claims  were  staked  out  along  its  course.  There  is  no 
doubt  but  that  systematic  work  would  result  in  the  development  of 
many  valuable  copper  properties  along  this  belt,  in  addition  to  those 
now  known  and  in  process  of  exploitation. 

In  Amador  County,  the  old  Jackson,  afterward  known  as  the  Newton 
mine,  which  was  discovered  in  1861,  yielded,  down  to  a  depth  of  200  feet, 
a  high  grade  of  chalcopyrite,  running  from  25  to  35  per  cent  copper, 
with  small  quantities  of  gold  and  silver.  Several  thousand  tons  of  ore 
were  shipped  from  this  mine,  most  of  which  went  to  Great  Britain;  but 
as  greater  depth  was  attained  the  grade  of  ore  decreased,  and  it  ceased 
to  pay  for  shipment  under  conditions  and  prices  which  then   prevailed. 

From    the   Newton    mine    the    copper    belt   extended  north  to  the 


HISTOKICAI,    NOTICS.  27 

Cosuqines  River,  and  near  the  river  a  low-grade  deposit  was  opened  up, 
but  it  proved  too  poor  to  stand  the  expense  of  shipment.  Both  Mari- 
posa and  Fresno  counties,  as  then  known,  i)ro(luced  some  copper  ore. 
The  Buchanan  mine  was  the  largest  property  in  that  section,  and  some 
hundreils  of  tons  of  ore  were  shipped  from  it. 

Based  upon  the  early  day  prospects,  Tuolumne,  Mariposa,  Madera, 
Merced,  Stanislaus,  I'resno,  and  Tulare  counties  should  prove  large 
producers  of  copper  when  their  resources  in  tliis  direction  shall  have 
received  proper  attention.  The  Santa  Cruz  Mountains  yielded  several 
hundred  tons  of  ore  in  the  year  1S67. 

Earlier  than  this  considerable  very  high-grade  ore,  carrying  as  much 
as  48  per  cent  copper,  with  2  ounces  of  gold  and  40  ounces  of  silver  per 
ton,  was  shipped  from  Genesee  Valley  in  Plumas  Count)',  the  means  of 
transportation  being  1)y  teams  to  Marys ville  and  thence  by  boat  to  San 
Francisco. 

During  the  period  extending  from  1S62  to  1S65,  Del  Norte  County 
ranked  second  only  to  Calaveras  in  the  production  of  copper  ore.  The 
largest  mine  in  Del  Norte  was  known  as  the  Low  Divide,  next  to  which 
came  the  Union,  while  the  Occidental  and  other  mines  produced  com- 
paratively small  quantities  of  ore.  In  Del  Norte  the  copper  belt 
extended  north  and  south  for  a  distance  of  about  ten  miles. 

The  old  Zinc  House  mine,  near  the  Knipire  ranch,  in  Nevada  County, 
shipped  considerable  quantities  of  high-grade  carbonates  and  oxides, 
but  no  large  quantities  of  chalcopyrite,  as  in  the  case  of  most  of  the 
mines  then  shipping.  The  mine,  however,  contained  large  quantities  of 
pyritic  ore,  but  the  percentage  of  copper  contained  was  not  sufficient  to 
make  it  a  shipping  proposition.  Subsequently  tiiis  low-grade  material 
was  very  successfully  worked  by  open-air  roasting,  leaching,  and  pre- 
cipitation of  the  copper  on  iron. 

In  Shasta  County  copper  was  discovered  and  mined  at  Copper  City, 
then  known  as  Williams,  as  early  as  1862.  In  1863  some  250  tons  of  the 
ore  were  shipped  to  San  Francisco,  but  on  sampling  it  was  found  to  con- 
tain only  8  per  cent  copper,  and  was,  therefore,  of  no  value.  On  being 
assayed  further,  it  showed  a  value  of  j^o  per  ton  in  gold  and  $20  in 
silver.     It  was  shipped  to  Swansea,  and  gave  a  small  margin  of  profit. 

Small  (luantities  of  copper  ore  were  shipped  to  San  Francisco  from 
Colusa  County  during  the  period  from  1862  to  1864.  Some  of  the  ore 
mined  from  near  the  surface  was  very  rich  in  copper,  but  the  grade 
deteriorated  very  rapidly  with  depth. 

It  was  well  known  in  these  early  days  that  copper  deposits  existed  in 
San  Bernardino  County  and  other  southern  counties,  Ijut  their  distance 
from  shipping  points  rendered  them  valueless  at  that  time. 

During  all  this  period  the  product  of  our  copper  mines  had  to  be 
transported  first  to  San  Francisco  and  thence  shipped  to  Boston, 
Baltimore,  or  Swansea.  From  1862  to  1865  the  price  of  copper  ranged 
from  $4  to  $5  per  unit;  that  is,  an  ore  containing  20  per  cent  copper  was 
worth  from  $80  to  $100  per  ton  of  2376^^  pounds,  delivered  at  anj'  of 
these  three  points.  Nothing  was  paid  for  any  gold  in  the  ore  below  one 
ounce  per  ton,  and  from  the  silver  contents  a  deduction  was  made  of 


28  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES    OK    CALIEORXIA. 

three-fourths  of  an  ounce  for  each  one  per  cent  of  copper.  After  com- 
mencing to  fall,  the  price  of  copper  soon  reached  a  point  as  low  as  $3.20 
per  unit.  It  was  this,  coupled  with  the  natural  lowering  of  grade  as 
depth  was  attained,  which  sank  the  copper  industry  of  California  into 
tlie  ])rofound  slumber  from  which  it  is  only  just  awakening. 

The  following  pro  forma  statement  of  a  shipment  to  Swansea  maj' 
prove  interesting  at  this  time.  The  copper  ton  there  is  21  hundred- 
weight, or  2352  pounds,  to  which  must  be  added,  on  foreign  ores,  3^ 
pounds  draftage  per  3  hundredweight,  or  24'<  pounds  per  ton,  making 
the  ton,  as  reckoned,  2376)^  pounds. 

Assay 21.30  per  cent  copper. 

Less 1.30 

Net 20.00  per  cent. 

100  tons  (of  2376^^  lbs.),  at  $5  per  unit f  10,000.00 

Freight  from  mine  to  Stockton,  at  fS  per 

ton  of  2000  lbs. $950. 40 

Freight  from  Stockton  to  San  Francisco, 

at|i.25 142.76 

Sampling  and  assaying,  San    Francisco, 

at  $1.50 178.20 

Commissions,  San  Francisco,  2^  per  cent.      250.00 
Freight  from  San  Francisco  to  Swansea, 

at  $20  per  2240  lbs 2,120  00 

Insurance,  3  per  cent 300.00 

Expenses  at  Swansea: 

Sampling,  $1.50  per  2240  lbs 17S.20 

Attending  sale  and  guarantee,  3  per  cent     300.00 

Harbor  and  town  dues 26.70 

Stamps,  stationery,  etc 10.00 

4,456.26 

Net  value $5,543-74 

To  smelt  copper  ore  at  the  mine  was,  in  these  early  days,  simply  out 
of  the  question.  The  first  smelting  works  in  California  consisted  of  a 
small  reverberatory  furnace,  erected  under  the  direction  of  the  writer  at 
Antioch,  in  Contra  Costa  County,  in  the  year  1863.  The  fuel  was  coal 
from  the  Mount  Diablo  mines,  for  which  $3  per  ton  was  paid,  and 
although  lignite  is  not  a  very  good  fuel  for  reverberatory  furnaces,  with 
a  step  grate  fairly  good  results  were  obtained,  and  no  difficulty  was 
experienced  in  producing  a  matte  carrying  from  45  to  48  per  cent  copper. 
Roasting  was  almost  entirely  dispensed  with,  as  there  was  an  abundant 
supply  of  low-grade  oxidized  ores  to  mix  with  the  sulphides.  These 
works  were  of  a  purely  experimental  capacity,  not  over  ten  tons  per  day, 
and  although  several  thousand  tons  were  smelted,  the  subsequent  fall  in 
the  price  of  copper  gave  no  encouragement  to  an  increase  in  their  capa- 
city, and  they  finally  ceased  operations.  At  the  Union  copper  mine, 
Copperopolis,  a  small  blast  furnace  was  erected  under  the  direction  of 
Constantine  Heusch,  and  this  produced  considerable  quantities  of  a  very 
high-grade  matte.     At  the  Campo  Seco  mine,  Calaveras  County,  several 


IIISTOKICAI,    NOTKS. 


29 


thousand  tons  of  ore  were  treated  by  kernel  roasting,  and  with  some 
success.  A  reverbcratory  furnace  was  erected  on  the  Cosumnes  River, 
and  produced  considerable  matte  of  fairly  good  quality. 

This  period  of  activity  practically  closed  in  i86S  with  a  fall 
in  the  price  of  copper,  increased  cost  of  raining  and  lessened 
values  as  depth  was  attained,  and  the  persistent  faihire  of  most 
properties  to  pay  dividends.  The  report  of  J.  Ross  Browne  for 
1867  was  made  near  the  end  of  this  productive  era,  and  the 
statement  there  given  of  the  shipments  of  copper  ore  and 
regulus  (matte)  is  approximately  complete  for  that  decade. 
The  following  table  is  taken  from  that  report: 

Copper  Exports  from  San  Francisco,   1 862-1867. 
[Tons  of  2376  pounds.] 


Vkak. 

1 

'    To  Ni:\ 

( )rcs. 

86 
'.337 
4.905jg 
4.1462'fl 
9.962A 
2,633 

23.0702^ 

V    ^■()RK. 

kcguliis 

i 

To  Boston. 

1 

To  i:n( 

.1,.\N-I). 

Total. 

Ores         Uijriiliis 

Ores,     j 

Kegulus. 

Ores. 

Kegulus. 

1862. .. 

3,574j(i 

1 

'      3.66oJ{; 

1      5.553J0 
'    io,234i\) 

1863.... 

4.2o8y 
5.064 

Q.OSO 

2642^0] 

2,591  is 

>2,384JS 

1 ,878     1 

SoJS 
141J8 

222j^ 

1864.... 

i 

"'"' 

1865.. .. 

25 

422 

178    1 

•5C 

1866.... 
1867.... 

4. 536  J  3 

26,883JS          502J8 
1      4.51 '               .V9J8 

' 

Totals 

625 

26,4342^'  

i7,i26ja 

68,631 2-^, 

S47A 

The  report  of  J.  Ro.ss  Browne  on  the  Mineral  Resources  of  the 
United  States  West  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  for  1868  gives  the 
following  statement  of  the  noteworthy  smelting  plants  for  the 
reduction  of  copper  ores  which  had  been  erected  in  California: 


Location. 

County. 

St  vie  of  I'urnace. 

Ksti  mated 
Co.st. 

Antioch 

Contra  Costa  . 
Calaveras    .... 
riumas 

Welsh 

525,000 
75,000 
30,000 
20,000 
20,000 
20,000 
10,000 
6,000 
30,000 

Copperopolis 

Genesee  Valley 

German 

Local    

Haskell's 

Haskell's 

Haskell's..    .    . 

Haskell's 

Haskell's 

Welsh 

James  Ranch 

Mariposa 

Mariposa 

^lariposa 

Placer  

Colusa 

Calaveras 

Bear  Valley 

Hunter  Valley 

Near  Placerville   

Near  Asliton 

Campo  Seco   

Total 

Ji236,ooo 

30  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OK   CALIFORNIA. 

There  were  at  the  same  time  two  in  Oregon,  one  in  Nevada, 
and  one  in  Arizona.  The  following  comment  is  made: 
"Several  concentrating  and  roasting  works  have  also  been 
erected  near  some  of  the  copper  mines  at  considerable  expense. 
The  concentrating  works  at  the  Keystone  mine  at  Copperopolis 
cost  $50,000.  It  is  quite  fair  to  calculate  that  $500,000  has 
been  expended  in  th^  construction  of  smelting  and  con- 
centrating works  on  this  Coast  during  the  past  four  years, 
nearly  all  of  which  has  proved  a  loss  for  the  reasons  stated." 

There  are  wide  discrepancies  among  the  currently  recorded 
estimates  of  copper  production  for  this  and  the  succeeding 
decade,  and,  in  fact,  for  the  entire  time  up  to  1894,  when  the 
State  Mining  Bureau' began  the  compilation  of  annual  mineral 
statistics.  It  has  been  found  impossible  to  present  any  record 
of  California's  total  copper  production  worthy  to  be  dignified 
as  statistics,  but  such  figures  as  are  here  presented  serve  to 
give  a  general  comprehension  of  the  productive  course  of  the 
industry.  Of  such  value  only  is  the  following  statement  of 
copper  exports  from  San  Francisco,  compiled  by  a  San 
Francisco  paper  in  1875: 

Tons.  Value. 

1861 1,759  $122,581 

1862 3-389  293,194 

1S63  5-933  512,925 

1864  14,315  1,994,660 

1865 25,830  1,821,360 

1S66 19,813  1-383,852 

1867  7.833  421,546 

1868 5,077  227,925 

1869  2,542  117,133 

1870  2,254  113-732 

1871     2,552  121,950 

1872 2,193  115,970 

1873  1,832  114,852 

1S74 1,352  67,400 

Total 96,674  $7,439,080 

The  above  statement  does  not  inform  us  what  ton  was  used 
as  a  basis  of  calculation  for  a  period  when  the  short,  long,  and 
Welsh  tons  were  variously  so  used,  and  it  does  not  distinguish 
between  copper  ores  and  copper  matte.  It,  however,  corre- 
sponds in  a  general  way  with  the  annual  condition  of  the 
industry'.     When    transcontinental  railroads  were  established 


HISTORICAL    NOTES — SHASTA   COUNTY.  31 

copper  shipments  liegan  to  be  also  made  by  rail,  and  the 
statistics  of  exports  by  sea  became  still  less  a  reliable  measure 
of  production.  From  the  beginning  shipments  by  sea  from  San 
P'rancisco  also  included  ores  and  some  matte  from  adjoining 
States  and  Territories,  including  British  Columbia,  Oregon, 
Nevada,  and  Arizona,  but  the  bulk  of  the  shipments  was  from 
California  mines.  During  the  decades  of  the  seventies  and 
eighties  the  copper  industry  was  practically  at  a  standstill  in 
this  State,  and  the  production  of  cement  copper  by  the  leaching 
of  old  dumps  provided  most  of  the  output,  the  product  in  the 
main  going  East  for  the  manufacture  of  mineral  paint. 

SHASTA  COUNTY. 

The  histor>'  of  the  copper  industry  in  Shasta  County  is  part 
of  the  history  of  the  base-ore  belt  now  known  as  the  copper 
belt;  but  that  history  for  the  period  previous  to  1895  is  the 
history  of  attempts  to  mine  the  base  surface  ores  for  their 
precious  metal  values,  and  copper  cuts  but  a  very  small  inci- 
dental figure  in  the  story. 

The  occurrence  of  rich  copper  ores  in  this  mineral  belt  of 
Shasta  County  was  noted  early  in  the  decade  of  the  fifties,  the 
discovery  of  copper  being  in  fact  practically  contemporaneous 
with  that  of  gold  and  silver,  and  copper  ores  were  frequently 
noted  through  the  succeeding  years,  but  they  caused  no  effort 
at  their  exi:)loitation  as  such.  Such  ores  were  encountered  in 
small  quantities  in  tunnels  which  were  opened  in  the  search 
for  gold  and  silver  in  the  base-ore  deposits  of  the  middle  and 
eastern  parts  of  the  belt,  and  a  few  tons,  quite  rich  in  copper 
and  the  precious  metals,  were  shipped  at  different  times  to  vSan 
Francisco,  but  no  deposits  were  ever  opened  or  regarded  as 
valuable  chiefly  for  their  copper.  For  over  a  generation  there 
was  not  only  no  recognition  of  copper  as  the  element  of  main 
importance  in  this  mining  district,  but  there  was  no  general 
recognition  of  the  metal  as  one  of  the  important  mineral 
resources  of  the  county.  In  1893,  but  two  years  before  the 
beginning  of  the  career  of  the  Mountain  Copper  Company, 
copper  was  not  even  mentioned  in  a  review  of  the  .mineral 
resources  of  Shasta  County  in  a  local  paper.  The  discovery 
that  great  bodies  of  sulphide  copper  ores  lay  buried  below  the 
gossan  cappings  of  the  belt  followed  the  first  thorough  pros- 


32 


THK    COPPKK    KKSOURCKS   OK   CALIFORNIA. 


pecting  of  the  Iron  Mountain  property,  whicli  begins  the  real 
history  of  the  copper  industry  in  this  district.  The  past  histor}-- 
of  the  belt  itself  is  one  of  gold  and  silver  mining  and  of  nearly 
forty  3'ears  of  failure  thereat,  but  the  importance  which  copper 
has  suddenly  assumed  makes  this  related  history  pertinent  and 
of  interest. 

The  surface  placers  of  Shasta  County  were  still  rich,  and  its 
placer  mining  camps  were  prosperous  when  prospectors  first 
noted  both  gold  and  copper  in  the  vein  formations  of  the  belt. 


SURF.\CE  MINIXG  PLANT  OK  THE  MOUNTAIX  COPPER  COMPANY,  IN  SLICK 

KOCK  ca5Jon,  with  iron  mountain  at  Tin-;  right. 


Some  of  these  placer  districts  closeh-  flanked  the  copper  belt, 
and  had  gained  the  gold  in  their  gravels  partly  from  the  ores 
in  the  belt  itself  and  partly  from  the  gold  quartz  veins  adjacent 
to  the  belt.  There  appear  to  have  been  no  attempts  at  mining 
the  ores  of  the  belt  until  in  the  decade  of  the  .sixties.  As 
early  as  1853  placer  gold  was  discovered  in  the  region  of  Bully 
Hill,  which  became  known  as  the  Pittsburg  district,  by  a  man 
named  Watson,  with  whom  were  associated  Riggs,  Hughes, 
and  Silverthorn.     With  this  discovery  began  a  stampede  which 


HISTORICAL    NOTKS — SHASTA    COrXTV. 


33 


resulted  in  the  location  of  a  large  number  of  placer  claims, 
most  of  which  were  of  little  value.  Although  some  small 
placers  are  still  worked  in  this  district,  active  interest  had 
lapsed  long  before  1870. 

In    1862    gold  was  discovered   in   the    surface    rock  of  the 
Excelsior  claim,  near  the  present  site  of  Copper  City,  by  Jack 


BLISTER  COPPER  FROM  THE  BULLY  HILL  SMELTER  AWAITING  SHIPMENT. 

Killinger  and  J.  P.  Williams.  The  ore  was  found  to  contain 
silver  as  well  as  gold,  and  another  rush  into  this  district  was 
begun  for  the  location  of  the  supposed  rich  veins  of  gold  and 
silver.  The  hills  were  covered  by  locations  for  many  miles. 
It  was  in  the  spring  of  1862  that  the  ground  now  covered  by 
the  Bully  Hill  and  adjoining  claims  was  first  located  by 
Alexander  San  ford,  and  the  stor>-  of  the  Bully  Hill  mining 
3— BuL.  23 


34  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

property  was  begun.  The  Killinger  and  Williams  company, 
which  was  incorporated,  sold  stock  and  began  the  operation  of 
their  mine,  which  was  continued  until  1865.  A  shipment  of 
ore  was  made  to  Swansea,  and  realized  a  fair  profit;  but  as 
later  shipments  were  less  fortunate,  they  were  not  long  con- 
tinued. At  the  same  time  was  organized  the  Baxter  Mining 
Company',  which  operated  on  adjoining  ground.  Meanwhile, 
at  Bully  Hill,  O.  R.  Johnson  &  Co.  had  acquired  some  of  the 
claims  located  by  Sanford  and  begun  operations  under  the 
corporate  name  of  the  Bully  Hill  Gold,  Silver,  and  Copper 
Mining  Company.  No  attempt  at  reduction  was  made,  but 
exploitation  was  begun  on  the  east  face  of  the  hill  at  the  site 
of  what  is  still  Tunnel  No.  i  of  the  Bully  Hill  mine.  The 
work  was  not  successful,  and  the  claims  were  eventually 
abandoned.  In  this  period,  in  the  early  and  middle  sixties, 
Copper  City,  which  was  the  result  of  the  discoveries  and  the 
mining  life  of  this  district,  enjoyed  a  lively  boom  and  looked 
forward  to  a  long  and  great  career.  These  mining  enterprises, 
dealing  with  very  base  surface  ores  at  an  early  stage  in  the 
development  of  lode  mining  in  the  State,  and  at  a  long  distance 
from  ore  markets,  soon  demonstrated  the  impossibility  of 
realizing  profits,  the  bottom  dropped  out  of  the  mining  boom 
and  little  was  done  for  another  decade. 

It  was  early  in  the  decade  of  the  sixties  that  Iron  Mountain 
began  to  cut  any  figure  in  the  stor}-.  William  Magee,  a 
United  States  land  sur^-eyor,  noted  the  enormous  capping  of 
gossan  on  the  mountain,  and  in  association  with  Charles 
Camden  secured  the  property  as  an  iron  mine.  It  was  idly 
held  as  a  simple  iron  deposit  of  possible  future  value  until  1879. 

The  decade  of  the  seventies  brought  a  revival  of  interest  and 
activity  to  the  Pittsburg  district.  The  claims  in  Bully  Hill, 
which  had  been  abandoned  by  the  Bully  Hill  Company,  had  been 
relocated  by  T.  M.  and  J.  W.  Popejoy,  who  sold  them  to  Alvin 
Potter  &  Co.  in  1877.  Potter  reopened  and  retimbered  the 
old  tunnel  (No.  i),  and  at  the  same  time  carried  on  other 
developments.  Soon  the  property  passed  to  the  Extra  Mining 
Company,  which  built  the  first  mill  at  Copper  City  in  1877. 
A  tramway  was  built  at  an  enormous  expense  to  convey-  ores 
from  Bully  Hill  by  gravity  to  the  mill.  During  the  few  years 
(perhaps  three  or  four)  in  which  the  company  operated,  it  was 
said  to  have  extracted  as  much  as  $640,000  from  these  ores, 


y. 


X 

y. 


y. 
y. 


(35) 


36  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

and  interest  on  borrowed  money,  a  part  of  the  principal,  and 
dividends  were  rapidly  paid,  but  the  property  was  finally 
turned  over  to  creditors.  The  Extra  Mining  Company  worked 
only  the  surface  ores  from  these  mines,  having  no  successful 
process  for  the  reduction  of  the  baser  ores,  though  an  attempt 
was  made  at  roasting.  The  mill  was  run  for  some  years  for 
the  creditors,  though  not  very  successfull}-.  Later  Messrs. 
Potter  and  Hall  obtained  possession  of  the  mill  and  tramway, 
purchased  the  Jenny  June  claim  from  H.  C.  McClure,  and 
successfull}'  worked  these  ores  for  a  time,  but  the  base  ores 
finally  caused  them  to  abandon  the  work. 

Iron  Mountain  makes  its  entrj'  as  a  factor  in  the  industrial 
story  of  the  belt  in  1879.  In  that  3'ear  James  Sallee,  whose 
name  was  thenceforth  to  be  prominently  associated  with  the 
development  of  the  copper  belt,  visited  Shasta  County  and 
incidentally  Iron  Mountain.  His  assays  of  surface  ores 
revealed  the  presence  of  silver  and  gold,  and  the  outcome  of 
his  discovery  was  the  acquirement  of  a  one  third  interest  in  the 
property  by  himself  and  Alvin  Potter,  under  whose  direction 
the  mine  began  the  second  period  of  its  evolution. 

This  discover}'  was  soon  noised  abroad  and  a  characteristic 
stampede  to  the  region  ensued.  The  popular  effect  is  well 
shown  in  a  news  letter  to  the  Mining  and  Scientific  Press 
from  a  Whiskeytown  correspondent  in  June,  18S0.  He  writes 
in  part:  "At  this  particular  time,  in  this  part  of  Shasta 
County,  the  silver  boom  is  up  high,  and  such  expressions  as 
'the  most  extensive  and  the  richest  silver  ledge  the  world  has 
ever  seen'  are  frequent.  Some  five  or  six  miles  from  the 
ancient  town  of  Shasta  was  known  to  exist  Avhat  was  called 
Iron  Mountain.  Nothing  was  expected  of  it  and  no  one 
prospected  there.  A  curious  expert  came  from  the  city  and 
has  been  secretly  looking  at  its  formations,  assays  have  been 
made  of  his  finds,  and  now  the  whole  country'  is  wild  and 
claims  are  staked  oflf  for  miles.  A  new  silver  belt  has  been 
discovered,  the  assaj's  of  which  go  away  up  into  the  hundreds." 

Sallee  found  his  gold  and  silver  values  in  the  gossan  crusts 
of  the  surface,  and  this  material  constituted  the  ore  that  was 
subsequently  worked.  Under  the  direction  of  Sallee  and 
Potter,  ore  was  transported  by  pack  train  and  wagon  to 
Redding  and  from  this  point  was  shipped  by  rail  to  reduction 
works  in  Denver,  Colorado.     The  ore  was  of  sufficient  value, 


HISTORICAL    NOTKS — SHASTA    COUNTY.  37 

however,  in  spite  of  this  laborious  method  of  handling,  to  pro- 
vide the  means  of  constructing  a  wagon  road  from  the  mines 
to  the  railroad  at  Middle  Creek,  a  distance  of  eight  or  more 
miles.  With  the  completion  of  this  wagon  road  the  handling 
of  the  ores  was  to  some  extent  simplified  and  the  expense  of 
its  reduction  was  correspondingly  lessened.  The  exact  results 
of  this  method  of  work  are  not  known,  although  it  was  kept 
up  for  some  years,  evidently  with  some  profit. 

In  1884,  John  O.  Earl  and  Charles  Ellsworth,  representing  a 
Honolulu  company,  bonded  the  property  with  the  intent  of 
buying  it,  and  proceeded  with  the  negotiations  to  the  point  of 
making  a  payment  of  $30,000  and  completing  its  equipment 
with  an  elaborate  plant.  The  equipment  of  the  mine  included 
a  20-stamp  mill,  125-horse-power  engine,  boilers,  pans,  and 
settlers,  and  in  addition  a  small  sawmill.  Before  any  produc- 
tion was  effected,  however,  the  entire  plant  and  mine  were 
returned  to  the  original  owners  for  a  consideration  of  $10,000. 
James  Sallee,  as  part  owner  and  superintendent  of  the  newly 
equipped  mine,  undertook  its  operation  and  worked  it  success- 
fully until  it  was  sold  to  the  present  owners,  to  whom  it 
appeared  as  an  immense  deposit  of  valuable  copper  ore. 

The  first  recognition  of  the  possibilities  of  this  mine  as  an 
available  copper  deposit  was  by  Hugh  McDonnell,  who  called 
it  to  the  attention  of  Judge  N.  F.  Cleary.  The  bond  obtained 
by  McDonnell  was  transferred  to  Cleary,  who,  through  the 
influence  of  Alexander  Hill  of  the  Rio  Tinto  mine,  was  suc- 
cessful in  effecting  its  sale  to  the  Rothschild  and  Fielding 
people  of  London  and  New  York.  These  factions  combined  in 
its  purchase,  paying  for  the  property  the  sum  of  $300,000,  and 
establishing  a  working  capital  of  $200,000.  This  deal  was 
consummated  in  the  early  part  of  1895.  The  new  company 
incorporated  as  the  Mountain  Mining  Company  and  began  at 
once  the  development  of  their  deposits,  the  building  of  a 
railroad,  and  the  erection  of  a  suitable  reduction  plant.  In 
September,  1895,  a  formal  transfer  of  the  Fielding  interests 
was  made  to  the  Mountain  Mining  Company,  Ltd.,  which 
continued  its  operations  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Hill. 
In  January,  1897,  the  property  was  transferred  to  the  present 
Mountain  Copper  Company  of  London,  which  has  a  capital  of 
$6,250,000. 

The  history  of  the  Peck  and  Afterthought  mines  in  the  Cow 


38  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Creek  district  has  been  in  many  respects  parallel  to  that  of  the 
Iron  Mountain  and  the  Bully  Hill.  The  earliest  attempts  at 
operation  were  made  for  the  extraction  of  gold  and  silver  values 
from  the  oxidized  surface  ores.  Later  an  effort  was  made  to 
work  the  baser  ores  by  a  process  of  roasting  and  milling. 
C.  M.  Peck,  who  had  erected  the  first  ore  mill  in  the  vicinity  of 
Copper  City,  also  put  up  the  first  furnace  for  smelting  in 
Shasta  County.  Having  obtained  for  a  nominal  sum  the 
property  after^vard  incorporated  and  known  as  the  Peck  mine, 
and  now  included  in  the  Afterthought  mine,  he  began  its  suc- 
cessful operation  upon  the  oxidized  surface  ores.  In  1875,  he 
erected  a  small  reverberatory  furnace,  in  which  wood  was  to 
be  used  as  a  fuel  in  the  reduction  of  the  baser  ores.  Naturally 
this  attempt  was  not  successful,  as  these  ores  have  since  defied 
more  rigorous  methods.  Upon  the  advice  of  a  Mr.  Williams, 
a  second  furnace,  of  the  water-jacket  pattern,  was  built,  in 
which  charcoal  was  to  be  used.  The  refractory  character  of 
the  ore,  which  occasioned  repeated  freezing  and  other  difficul- 
ties which  could  not  then  be  surmounted,  proved  to  be  too 
much,  and  this  attempt  also  ended  in  failure.  It  was  claimed, 
however,  that  a  continuous  and  fairly  successful  run  of  seven 
days  was  made  at  one  time.  The  quantity  of  charcoal  required 
amounted  to  nearly  1000  bushels  per  day.  Subsequently, 
John  Williams,  father  of  the  former  superintendent,  and  after- 
ward a  man  named  Gerrish,  made  other  unsuccessful  attempts 
to  reduce  the  ore  in  the  same  furnace. 

Later  on  this  property  was  acquired  by  Joseph  Cone  and 
others  of  Red  Bluff,  who  erected  the  furnace  that  now  stands 
on  the  property'.  This  is  a  small  water-jacket  furnace  of  25 
tons  capacity.  Two  attempts  were  made  with  this  furnace, 
both  of  which  terminated  without  success.  During  the  period 
in  which  Peck  operated  in  this  district,  he  had  discovered  the 
Donkey  mine,  which  he  sold  to  A.  J.  Cook  for  the  sum  of 
$1100.  The  ores  of  this  mine  are  similar  to  those  of  the  After- 
thought. 


SHASTA  COUNTY. 


Shasta  County  commands  first  and  chief  attention  in  a 
survey  of  the  present  condition  of  California's  rising  copper 
industry.  In  its  great  copper  or  "base  ore"  l)elt,  which  curves 
as  a  thirty-mile  string  of  ore  deposits  through  its  west  central 
part,  are  the  two  mines  and  smelting  plants  which  yield  most 
of  the  current  copper  output  of  the  State,  and  the  various 
extensive  ore  bodies  whose  exploitation  gives  the  chief  promise 
of  an  early  and  marked  increase  of  copper  production.  While 
the  copper  industry  is  directly  confined  to  one  definite  mineral 
belt,  the  county  as  a  whole  presents  various  features  contrib- 
uting to  the  exceptionally  favorable  conditions  surrounding 
the  industry. 

The  county  lies  in  the  mountainous  region  about  the  head 
of  the  Sacramento  Valley,  nearly  equally  distant  from  the 
western,  northern,  and  eastern  boundaries  of  the  State,  and  is 
about  90  miles  in  length  and  60  miles  in  width,  having  an 
area  of  3675  square  miles.  The  western  border  of  the  county 
is  along  the  Trinity  range  summit,  and  the  county  reaches 
eastward  high  up  the  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  range,  which 
bears  westward  and  merges  with  the  Coast  Range  in  Shasta 
and  Siskiyou  counties.  Short,  irregular  ranges  fill  the  greater 
part  of  the  county  between  the  main  ranges  to  the  east  and 
west.  The  Sacramento  Valley  thrusts  its  rapidly  narrowing 
northern  end  a  short  distance  up  into  the  southwestern  part, 
affording  the  principal  agricultural  and  horticultural  region  of 
the  county  and  meeting  the  long  caiion  of  the  Sacramento 
River  a  little  above  Redding,  about  20  miles  above  the 
southern  boundary. 

In  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  county  is  Lassen  Peak,  an 
extinct  volcano,  the  lavas  from  which  have  blanketed  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  county  nearly  to  the  Sacramento  River. 
From  the  valley  and  lower  foothills  of  the  southern  part  of 
the  county  the  surface  increases  in  ruggedness  and  elevation 
northward,  as  well  as  eastward  and  westward,  until  altitudes 
of  5000  to  6000  feet  are  reached.  The  copper  belt  occupies  a 
position   between   these  extremes,  the  altitudes  of   mountain 

(39) 


40  THE   COPPER   RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

summits  and  canon  floors  along  the  belt  generally  ranging 
between  looo  and  3600  feet. 

Nature  has  given  this  county  a  splendid  water-supply.  The 
rainfall,  occurring  chiefly  in  the  winter,  exceeds  forty  inches 
as  a  rule,  and  the  snows  of  the  higher  ranges  maintain  the 
streams  throughout  the  summer  months.  The  principal 
streams  are  the  Sacramento,  McCloud,  and  Pitt  rivers,  the  first 
two  rising  in  the  mountains  above  the  northern  boundary,  and 
the  last  in  Modoc  County.  The  Sacramento  flows  southward 
through  the  western  half  of  the  county  in  a  deep,  sinuous,  and 
exceedingly  picturesque  canon,  crossing  the  copper  belt  a  little 
above  the  apex  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  plain.  The  torrential 
Pitt  crosses  the  axis  of  the  Sierra  range  through  heavy  forests 
and  deep  canons  to  join  the  Sacramento  in  the  midst  of  the 
copper  belt.  The  no  less  picturesque  McCloud  discharges  into 
the  Pitt  amid  the  gossan  cappings  of  the  copper  deposits. 
Tributar}^  creeks,  prominently  identified  with  the  copper  belt, 
also  cross  it  on  both  sides  of  the  Sacramento,  and  are  valuable 
sources  of  water-supplies.  There  is  thus  a  general  convergence 
of  the  important  rivers  and  creeks  of  the  county  in  and  through 
the  chief  mineral  region. 

The  streams  afford  exceptionally  valuable  power  resources. 
Their  fall  is  rapid,  their  volume  reliable,  and  the  opportunities 
for  the  utilization  of  their  waters  for  generating  electric  power 
are  many.  The  Pitt  presents  many  falls  and  cascades,  and 
Fall  River  flows  over  a  precipice  sixty  feet  high  just  before 
joining  the  Pitt,  high  in  the  mountains.  Important  electric 
transmission  plants  are  now  in  operation  or  in  process  of 
installation. 

The  county  has  almost  inexhaustible  supplies  of  timber  in 
heavy  forests  of  yellow  and  sugar  pine  and  fir,  clustered  in  the 
higher  ranges  about  the  upper  courses  of  the  chief  rivers,  those 
along  the  Pitt  being  especially  available.  Most  of  the  timber 
and  wood  now  used  in  large  quantities  by  the  principal  mining 
companies  is  floated  down  from  these  sources.  Elsewhere 
through  the  county,  and  adjacent  to  the  mining  districts 
generally,  the  timber  supplies  are  scant  or  inferior,  as  a  rule, 
though  on  the  higher  ridges,  and  on  the  more  moist  northern 
slopes  of  others,  the  yellow  pine  is  here  and  there  found  in 
satisfactory  abundance,  and  is  extensively  utilized.  In  the 
foothill  zone  the  forest  growths  comprise  mainly  black,  white, 


SHASTA   COUNTY.  41 

and  live  oaks  and  "digger  pine,"  and  there  are  widespread 
growths  of  underbrush  (chaparral),  along  with  scrub  oaks  and 
small  pines. 

The  California  and  Oregon  line  of  the  Southern  Pacific  rail- 
way system  crosses  the  county  and  the  copper  belt  along  the 
course  of  the  Sacramento  River,  and  this  important  mining 
field  thus  has  the  advantage  of  close  proximity  to  a  main  com- 
mercial highway.  Several  efforts  have  been  made  to  accom- 
plish the  construction  of  a  railroad  westward  from  Redding 
through  Trinity  and  Humboldt  counties  to  Eureka  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  and  this  needed  enterprise,  so  strongly  invited 
bj^  commercial  and  industrial  conditions,  will  undoubtedly  be 
carried  out  sooner  or  later,  opening  up  a  splendid  mining 
region  in  the  Coast  Ranges,  and  providing  Shasta  County  with 
a  competitive  transportation  route  by  sea  and  rail. 

While  the  copper  belt,  with  which  this  bulletin  is  chiefly 
concerned,  is  now  by  far  the  leading  feature  of  Shasta  County's 
mineral  resources,  those  resources  are  varied  and  quite  widely 
distributed  elsewhere.  The  eastern  half  of  the  county  being 
generally  buried  under  lava  deposits  which  effectually  hide  the 
minerals  that  undoubtedly  exist,  the  mining  industry  is  con- 
fined to  the  western  portion.  The  crescent-shaped  copper  belt 
presents  its  eastern  end  a  little  south  of  the  center  of  the 
county,  the  belt,  as  indicated  by  exposures,  being  prolonged  east- 
ward into  the  lava  sheet;  but  with  this  exception,  the  county's 
mining  industry  is  confined  to  the  western  third  of  the  county, 
and  mainly  to  the  portion  west  of  the  Sacramento  River. 

There  were  rich  early  placers  in  this  region,  and  extensive 
recent  and  ancient  auriferous  gravel  deposits  remain,  affording 
opportunities  for  various  forms  of  placer  mining,  including  gold 
dredging.  Quartz  mining  was  of  slow  development,  owing  to 
the  base  character  of  the  ores  in  most  of  the  districts  in  which 
gold-bearing  veins  were  early  discovered.  Several  quartz 
mining  districts  have  been  more  or  less  successfully  exploited, 
the  most  noted  one  being  the  French  Gulch  district  at  the 
western  side  of  the  county,  in  which  the  important  Niagara 
and  Gladstone  mines,  yielding  free-milling  ores,  were  developed 
many  years  ago.  Other  quartz  mining  districts  are  distributed 
along  the  western  side  of  the  county  for  sixty  miles.  The  ores 
of  these  districts  are  free-milling  in  some  places,  but  are  usually 
base  and  they  are  variously  characterized  by  the  presence  of 


42  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

gold,  gold  and  silver,  and  gold,  silver  and  copper,  in  associa- 
tion with  baser  metals.  To  these  districts  mining  enterprise 
is  newly  turning,  giving  promise  of  important  new  discoveries 
and  developments. 

The  recent  exploitation  of  the  copper  mines  has  placed 
Shasta  far  in  the  lead  of  the  mineral-producing  counties  of  the 
State.  Its  total  mineral  output  in  1900  was  $5,574,026,  nearly 
$3,500,000  in  excess  of  its  nearest  rival.  Of  this  output,  ■ 
$4,166,735  was  in  copper,  the  product  of  the  Mountain  Copper 
Mine.  The  gold  and  silver  carried  by  the  copper  ores  smelted 
and  the  silicious  ores  used  as  fluxes,  together  wnth  the  output 
of  placer  and  quartz  mines  in  districts  outside  the  copper  belt, 
afforded  $1,369,107  in  the  precious  metals,  of  which  S733.467 
was  in  gold  and  $635,640  (coinage  value)  in  silver.  This 
makes  Shasta  also  the  leading  silver-producing  county  of  the 
State.  In  1896,  just  before  copper  production  began,  the  total 
mineral  output  was  but  $813,593.  While  the  mineral  statistics 
for  1 901  have  not  been  compiled  at  this  writing,  it  is  estimated 
that  the  j^ear's  production  will  exceed  $7,000,000,  further 
increasing  Shasta's  mineral  preeminence.  Various  mineral 
products  are  minor  features  of  the  record. 

The  following  table,  giving  the  annual  values  of  the  chief 
three  mineral  products  and  the  total  annual  mineral  produc- 
tion from  1894  to  1900,  inclusive,  shows  the  expansion  due  to 
the  recent  development  of  the  copper  industr5^  Besides  the 
value  of  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  the  totals  include  the  minor 
mineral  products,  embracing  $1500  in  iron  in  1894,  chrome  in 
1895  and  1900,  and  mineral  waters,  lime,  limestone,  and  brick 
in  most  of  the  years.  The  gold  increase  is  small,  owing  to  the 
closing  of  several  important  gold  mines  at  about  the  period 
that  the  Mountain  Copper  Company  began  producing  gold  as 
a  by-product.  The  large  increase  in  silver  in  1900  is  partly 
due  to  its  being  measured  in  coinage  value  for  that  year 
instead  of  in  commercial  value  as  in  preceding  years: 

Gold.  Silver.  Copper.  All  Minerals. 

1894 $617,436                    $5,032  $715,769 

1895 781,696                     28,417  811,233 

1896 599209                    24,233  $184,208  813,593 

1897 569-071                    96,869  1,535.966  2,224,700 

1898 "      860,180  171,868  2,465,830  3,510,728 

1899 873,719  196,213  3,565,023  4,661,980 

1900 733.467  635,640  4,166,735  5,574,026 

$5,034,778  $1,158,272  $11,917,762  $17,464,809 


SHASTA    COl'NTY — THE   COPPER    BELT. 


43 


As  these  figures  indicate,  copper  is  the  cHtf  product  and 
the  chief  basis  of  the  mining  prosperity  and  prospects  of  the 
county.  All  of  the  silver  is  produced  by  the  smelters  from 
ores  mined  chiefly  for  their  copper;  and  in  the  temporary- 
absence  of  production  in  some  important  mines,  the  gold 
output  has,  until  recently,  been  sustained  in  the  same  way. 

At  the  present  time  several  prominent  independent  gold- 
producers  are  being  operated,  and  the  output,  exclusive  of  gold 
produced  by  ores  mined  chiefly  for  copper,  is  as  great  as  it  has 
been  at  any  time  during  the  past  ten  or  fifteen  years. 


THE  COPPER  BELT. 

Shasta  County's  copper  belt  is  composed  of  a  series  of  ore 
deposits  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  which  bends 
through  the  low  mountains  and  foothills  directly  north  of  the 
head  of  the  Sacramento  Valley,  and  which  spans  a  distance  of 
about  twenty-five  miles  between  the  eastern  and  western 
horns.  The  apex  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  plain  and  the 
city  of  Redding  are  near  its  western  end  and  but  a  little  south 
of  the  chord  of  the  arc  described  by  the  belt.  Iron  Mountain, 
at  the  end  of  the  western  horn,  is  about  ten  miles  northwest  of 
Redding,  in  a  direct  line,  and  the  eastern  horn,  in  the  Furnace- 
ville  district,  is  about  twenty  miles  north  of  east  from  the  same 
point.  The  length  of  the  belt  is  approximately  thirty  miles, 
and  the  width  from  one-half  to  four  miles. 

The  term  "belt"  is  used  with  the  broad  meaning  which  it 
properly  carries,  and  not  as  synonymous  with  "lode."  The 
ore  deposits  do  not  mark  a  practically  continuous  fissure 
system  in  which  directly  related  vein  formations  have  resulted, 
but  occur  as  disconnected  masses,  or  groups  of  vein  formations, 
forming  individual  lodes  and  districts.  These  groups  of 
deposits  vary  in  form  of  occurrence  from  massive,  flat-lying, 
lenticular  beds  of  sulphides  on  the  west,  to  irregular  vein 
formations  in  the  eastern  half  of  the  belt,  and  they  also  vary 
in  their  mineralization;  but  they  are  successively  ranged,  with 
considerable  regularity,  along  the  cur\-ed  line  described,  forming 
a  belt  three  or  four  miles  wide  in  places.  In  several  ways  this 
series  of  deposits  presents  features  of  unity  and  individuality, 
which  enforce  its  conception  as  one  definite  mineral  belt,   and 


44  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

which  set  it  apart  from  other  ore  deposits  in  that  part  of  the 
State. 

The  belt  is  throughout  superficially  marked  bj-  massive 
exposures  of  the  gossan  which  nearlj'  everywhere  caps  its 
mineralized  formations.  Upon  the  elevations  between  the 
canons  cut  by  the  streams,  these  dark  croppings  of  the  iron 
oxides  resulting  from  the  decomposition  of  surface  sulphide 
ores  stand  out  in  places  with  striking  boldness.  A  cursory 
survey  of  the  belt  as  a  whole  shows  these  ferruginous  surface 
formations  to  be  practically  continuous  throughout,  but  in  an 
irregular  and  disjointed  way,  and  coursing  in  varying  direc- 
tions. Especially  striking  is  the  great  gossan  cap  of  Iron 
Mountain,  with  which  the  belt  worthily  begins,  or  ends.  The 
ridge  forming  this  mountain  rises  nearly  a  thousand  feet  above 
Slick  Rock  and  Boulder  creeks  on  either  side,  over  a  mile  apart, 
and  at  the  top  the  gossan  formation,  300  feet  wide,  displays 
nearly  perpendicular  walls  that  rise  high  above  the  top  of  the 
slope  into  which  the  tunnels  of  the  Mountain  Copper  Company 
open.  Southerly  from  Iron  Mountain  but  two  or  three  known 
copper  deposits,  widely  separated,  occur,  the  mineral  formations 
of  the  belt  being  succeeded  through  the  adjacent  regions  by 
gold  quartz  veins. 

For  ten  miles  northeasterly  from  Iron  Mountain  and  nearly 
to  the  Sacramento  River,  the  belt  is  outlined  by  a  quite  con- 
tinuous succession  of  both  gossan  outcrops  and  important 
groups  of  copper  claims,  in  many  of  which  exploration  is 
steadily  proceeding.  For  the  distance  named,  the  belt,  as 
indicated  b}^  the  distribution  of  copper  mining  claims,  exhibits 
a  width  of  approximately  three  miles.  Between  Boulder 
Creek,  at  the  northern  side  of  Iron  Mountain,  and  the  Sacra- 
mento River,  the  belt  is  cut  through  by  three  deep  creek 
canons. 

The  belt  intersects  the  Sacramento  River  at  about  the  point 
where  it  receives  the  Pitt,  and  for  nearly  ten  miles  eastward  it 
exhibits  its  gossan  croppings  on  both  sides  of  the  latter  stream, 
but  mainly  on  the  northern  side.  About  four  miles  east  of 
the  Sacramento  the  Pitt  is  joined  by  the  McCloud  River,  which 
thus  ends  in  the  midst  of  the  copper  belt.  Farther  eastward 
the  belt  is  entered  by  the  Pitt  where  it  turns  on  its  final  west- 
ward course,  and  it  is  crossed  by  streams  tributary  to  the  Pitt 
and  Sacramento.     Through   the   whole   course  of   the  belt   a 


SHASTA    COUNTY — THE    COPPER    BELT.  45 

multitude  of  gulches  help  give  a  very  rugged  character  to  the 
regiou.  These  gashes  made  by  the  waters  in  the  "iron  hat" 
of  the  belt  further  diminish  its  apparent  continuity,  the  gossans 
having  here  and  there  been  eroded  away  or  covered  by  surface 
wash,  and  being  found  principally  on  the  elevations. 

The  geology  and  mineralogy  of  the  belt  are  specially  treated 
of  in  the  succeeding  section.  The  ore  deposits  are  compo-sed 
mainly  of  sulphides  occurring  in  eruptive  formations.  West  of 
the  Sacramento  the  deposits  are  in  the  form  of  irregular  lenses 
in  flat  or  inclined  positions.  They  have  been  shown,  in  some 
cases,  to  be  several  hundred  feet  in  length  and  breadth,  with 
thicknesses  of  50  to  300  feet,  displaying  contents  amounting  in 
the  Iron  Mountain  and  Balaklala  mines  to  quantities  exceeding 
a  million  tons,  and  indicating  similarly  large  proportions  in 
other  properties  of  smaller  development.  In  the  central  and 
eastern  portions  of  the  belt  the  ores  occur  in  vein  formations. 

The  ores  all  carry  gold  and  silver.  West  of  the  Sacramento 
River  the  percentages  of  the  precious  metals  are  small,  though 
constituting  an  important  element  of  the  ore  values.  The  Iron 
Mountain  ores  are  stated  to  yield  about  $1  in  gold  and  two 
ounces  of  silver  per  ton,  and  these  quantities  are  probably 
characteristic  of  the  ores  of  the  other  deposits  of  that  part  of 
the  bell.  These  ores  carry  very  low  percentages  of  the  baser 
metals,  as  zinc,  antimony,  arsenic,  etc.  In  the  central  and 
eastern  districts  of  the  belt  the  gold  and  silver,  as  well  as  the 
copper  values,  are  frequently  much  higher  than  in  any  large 
ore  bodies  developed  to  the  west,  and  they  carry  the  baser 
elements  in  much  greater  quantity  and  variet}'.  Throughout 
the  belt,  the  most  important  copper  properties  have  in  past 
years  been  worked  for  the  gold  and  silver  values  remaining  in 
the  decomposed  portions  of  the  deposits  near  the  surface  and 
above  the  copper  sulphides  to  which  attention  is  now  directed. 

Adjacent  to  different  parts  of  the  belt  are  gold  quartz  dis- 
tricts, in  which  are  many  veins  carrying  low,  medium,  or  high 
grade  ores,  which  are  base,  as  a  rule,  and  can  not  be  efficiently 
and  profitably  reduced  by  milling  processes.  The  western  horn 
of  the  belt  is  practically  surrounded  by  such  veins.  They 
occur  notably  in  the  region  of  the  old  town  of  Shasta,  four 
miles  south  of  Iron  Mountain,  and  are  distributed  for  several 
miles  south  and  east  of  this  end  of  the  belt  through  the  Shasta 
and  Flat  Creek  districts,  the  latter  lying  between  the  belt  and 


46  THE  COPPER   RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

the  Sacramento  River.  Eastward  from  this  portion  of  the  belt, 
across  the  Sacramento  River  and  within  and  without  the  chord 
of  the  belt's  arc,  is  the  Old  Diggings  district,  presenting  groups 
of  quartz  claims  extending  over  several  miles.  Some  impor- 
tant quartz  mines  have  been  developed  in  these  districts,  includ- 
ing the  Mount  Shasta  in  the  Shasta  district,  and  the  Texas 
Consolidated  in  the  latter.  Other  quartz  districts  similarly 
attend  the  belt  at  other  points  along  its  course,  and  gold  quartz 
veins  are  abundant  in  close  proximity  to  the  belt  generall)-. 
These  silicious  ores  thus  provide  abundant  and  convenient 
fluxing  materials  for  use  in  smelting  the  sulphide  copper  ores. 
In  turn,  the  smelters  have  created  a  market  for  these  ores  and 
enabled  the  development  and  mining  of  a  number  of  quartz 
properties.  The  stimulus  thus  afforded  quartz  mining  in 
this  region  is  one  of  the  important  local  benefits  of  the  develop- 
ment of  the  copper  industry.  Gold  ores  are  not  only  supplied 
from  closely  adjacent  districts,  but  are  hauled  bj-  teams  and 
shipped  b}'  rail  from  quite  remote  localities,  including  points 
in  Siskiyou  and  Trinity  counties,  the  ores  being  rich  enough  to 
stand  the  large  transportation  costs. 

Other  fluxing  materials  are  equally  plentiful  and  convenient. 
Iron  ores  and  limestone  are  also  used  for  fluxing.  Limestones 
are  the  most  abundant,  and  are  found  along  large  belts  near 
the  smelters.  The  supply  is  practically  inexhaustible.  Iron 
ores,  both  magnetite  and  limonite,  have  been  used  for  some  of 
the  more  refractory  sulphides,  but  the  former  has  not  been 
found  to  be  suitable  for  such  uses.  It  is  now  believed  that  a 
mixture  of  ores  from  this  belt  can  be  made  that  will  obviate 
the  use  of  iron  ores. 

The  copper  belt  thus  presents  many  favorable  conditions  for 
copper  mining  and  smelting.  There  are  distributed  through  a 
long  mineral  belt  massive  ore  deposits  whose  quantities,  as 
well  as  values,  are  attractive  to  conservative  mining  capital. 
These  deposits  are  usually  embedded  in  great  hills,  and  can  be 
economically  explored  and  mined  through  tunnels.  Water  is 
especially  abundant,  and  desirable  sites  for  reduction  works 
are  conveniently  available.  Opportunities  for  the  generation 
of  electric  power  are  widely  present.  The  belt  is  bisected  by  a 
main  railroad  line,  and  highways  reach  the  various  districts. 
Climatic  conditions  are  all  favorable.  The  wood  and  timber 
supply  is  ample.     At  the  Keswick  smelters  wood  now  costs 


a: 


f. 
y. 


(47) 


48  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

about  $4.25  per  cord.  Alabama  coke,  carrying  16  per  cent 
ash,  can  be  delivered  at  Redding  for  about  $13  per  ton. 
Belgian  coke,  with  15  per  cent  ash,  has  been  obtained  for 
$12.20  per  ton. 

In  a  suiA'ey  of  the  present  status  of  the  industn-  along  the 
belt,  the  attention  is  chiefly  claimed  by  the  producing  localities 
of  Iron  Mountain  at  the  extreme  western  end,  and  Bully  Hill 
east  of  the  middle  of  the  belt.  From  the  Iron  Mountain  mine 
the  Mountain  Copper  Company  has  extracted,  since  1S96, 
about  825,000  tons  of  ore,  which  has  been  carried  b}'  a  narrow- 
gauge  railwa}'  eleven  miles  down  the  cafion  of  Slick  Rock 
Creek  to  the  company's  smelting  plant  at  Keswick,  one  mile 
west  of  the  Sacramento  River.  The  matte  and  blister  copper 
here  produced  and  shipped  to  the  company's  refinerj-  in  New 
Jerse}'  have  produced  about  120,000,000  pounds  of  fine  copper 
to  January'  i,  1902.  Dividends  to  December  31,  1900,  amounted 
to  considerably  over  50  per  cent  of  the  capital  stock  of  $6,250,000. 
With  very  large  ore  reserves,  with  a  recently  enlarged  and 
improved  smelting  plant  of  about  1000  tons  daily  capacity, 
with  a  total  force  of  about  1 200  men,  and  with  annual  local 
expenditures  of  about  $2,000,000,  the  Mountain  Copper  Com- 
pany is  a  large  factor  in  sustaining  local  industrial  prosperity, 
and  has  a  considerable  future  period  of  profitable  operations  on 
a  large  scale  insured. 

Near  the  middle  of  the  belt  is  the  Bully  Hill  mine  and 
smelting  plant,  which  have  within  a  year  assumed  great 
prominence  as  a  rich  and  promising  mining  property.  Next 
to  the  Mountain  Copper,  the  Bully  Hill  is  by  far  the  most 
extensively  explored  and  developed  mine  of  the  belt,  the  tun- 
nels and  drifts  in  the  Bully  Hill  mine  proper  aggregating  over 
two  miles  in  length.  Several  other  groups  of  adjoining  claims 
help  make  up  the  extensive  holdings  of  the  Bully  Hill  Copper 
Mining  and  Smelting  Compan}-.  Favorably  situated  near  the 
mine  is  the  splendid  modern  reduction  plant,  which  has  a 
present  capacity  of  150  tons  of  ore  per  day.  During  the  ten 
months  of  operation  succeeding  the  beginning  of  production 
in  May,  1900,  the  smelter  is  credited  with  reducing  50,000  tons 
of  ore  averaging  10  per  cent  copper,  affording  5000  tons  or 
11,200,000  pounds  of  copper,  with  an  equal  value  in  the 
precious  metals.     This  is  an  unofl&cial  estimate,  but  is  believed 


1 

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MAP  OF  A  PORTION  OF  THE  SHASTA  COUNTY  COPPER  BELT  EAST  OF  THE  SACRAMENTO  RIVER,  INCLUDING 
THE  BULLY  HILL  DISTRICT,  SHOWING  THE  PRINCIPAL  MINING  PROPERTIES. 


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SHASTA   COUNTY — THE   COPPER    BELT.  49 

to  be  approximately  correct.     The  output  will  probably  double 
within  a  year. 

The  succes.s  and  promise  of  the  Bully  Hill  mine  have  been  a 
strong  additional  stimulus  to  the  exploitation  of  other  deposits 
of  the  belt,  to  which  attention  was  first  directed  by  the  strik- 
ing success  of  the  Mountain  Copper  Company.  As  a  result  of 
the  encouragement  thus  given  to  local  holders  of  important 
prospects,  and  of  the  interest  thus  awakened  in  Eastern  and 
foreign  promoters  and  investors,  a  number  of  groups  of  claims 
are  steadily  undergoing  exploration  by  the  owners  or  by  the 


>v  -I'.-^Jv^-v;':.?'::. 


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BULLY  HILL,  SHASTA  COUNTY,  SHOWING  ORIGINAL  TUNNKL  OPENKD  IN  1863. 

holders  of  options.  It  is  on  the  development  of  some  of  these 
prospects  into  producing  mines,  and  on  the  expansion  of  its  scale 
of  operations  by  the  Bully  Hill  Company,  that  the  expected  large 
increase  of  output  and  mining  activity  along  the  belt  depends. 
The  Bully  Hill  Company  is  exploring  additional  properties, 
owned  or  bonded,  adjacent  to  its  chief  developed  one,  and  this 
and  the  amount  and  value  of  the  ore  bodies  which  have  been 
discovered  in  the  Bully  Hill  have  inspired  the  general  belief 
that  this  company  will  soon  greatly  increase  its  plant  and 
production  and  the  scope  of  its  operations. 
4— BuL.  23 


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SHASTA    COUNTY — THE    COPPER    BELT. 


49 


to  be  approximately  correct.     The  output  will  probably  double 
within  a  year. 

The  success  and  promise  of  the  Bully  Hill  mine  have  been  a 
strong  additional  stimulus  to  the  exploitation  of  other  deposits 
of  the  belt,  to  which  attention  was  first  directed  by  the  strik- 
ing success  of  the  Mountain  Copper  Company.  As  a  result  of 
the  encouragement  thus  given  to  local  holders  of  important 
prospects,  and  of  the  interest  thus  awakened  in  Eastern  and 
foreign  promoters  and  investors,  a  number  of  groups  of  claims 
are  steadily  undergoing  exploration  by  the  owners  or  by  the 


■i^r-^^^- 


—         •*— -VJ 


BULLY  HILL,  SHASTA  COUNTY,  SHOWING  ORIGINAL  TUNNEL  OPENKU  IN  1863. 


holders  of  options.  It  is  on  the  development  of  some  of  these 
prospects  into  producing  mines,  and  on  the  expansion  of  its  scale 
of  operations  by  the  Bully  Hill  Company,  that  the  expected  large 
increase  of  output  and  mining  activity  along  the  belt  depends. 
The  Bully  Hill  Company  is  exploring  additional  properties, 
owned  or  bonded,  adjacent  to  its  chief  developed  one,  and  this 
and  the  amount  and  value  of  the  ore  bodies  which  have  been 
discovered  in  the  Bully  Hill  have  inspired  the  general  belief 
that  this  company  will  soon  greatly  increase  its  plant  and 
production  and  the  scope  of  its  operations. 
4— BuL.  23 


50  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Prospecting  activity  is  especially  noticeable  along  the  west- 
ern portion  of  the  belt,  where  in  size,  position,  and  nature  the 
ore  deposits  so  much  resemble  those  of  Iron  Mountain.  As 
before  obser\-ed,  groups  of  claims  are  closely  ranged  for  ten 
miles  northeast  from  Iron  Mountain,  embracing  broken  and 
wooded  cafions,  hillsides  and  elevations,  and  covering  widths 
of  three  miles  in  places.  They  vary  greatly  in  the  extent  to 
which  explorations  under  the  massive  gossan  croppings  have 
extended.  From  the  Sacramento  River  eastward  for  about 
eight  miles,  to  the  neighborhood  of  Bully  Hill,  there  is  a  suc- 
cession of  mining  claims  yet  but  little  explored.  From  the 
Bully  Hill  district  on  to  the  Afterthought  and  Donkey  mines 
at  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  belt  there  is  a  similar  gap 
of  several  miles  displaying  no  prospects  of  much  present 
importance. 

The  Balaklala,  Mammoth,  and  Shasta  King  mines  on  the 
western  side  of  the  river,  and  the  McClure  adjoining  the  Bull}'- 
Hill,  are  the  developing  properties  in  which  interest  is  now 
mainly  centered  and  which  seem  to  warrant  the  anticipation 
of  Shasta  County  that  the}-  will  become  producing  mines  in 
the  not  distant  future. 

The  Balaklala  comprises  about  60  claims,  and  3000  feet  of 
tunnels  and  as  many  feet  of  diamond  drill  holes  have  developed 
low-grade  ore  bodies  estimated  to  contain  over  2,000,000  tons. 
The  latest  developments  indicate  that  this  quantity  is  to  be 
greatly  exceeded  in  the  property  and  that  possibly  this  will 
prove  the  greatest  deposit  of  the  belt.  It  is  being  further 
explored  under  bond  by  a  company  of  Chicago  and  Pittsburg 
capitalists,  who  are  understood  to  contemplate  production  on 
a  large  scale. 

For  about  two  years  public  interest  in  the  future  has  been 
centered  on  the  operations  of  the  Trinity  Copper  Company, 
headed  by  Thomas  W.  Lawson,  of  "Boston.  Its  chief  property 
is  the  Shasta  King,  about  four  miles  east  of  Iron  Mountain,  in 
which  there  has  been  opened  up  a  body  of  low-grade  ore 
reported  to  exceed  1,200,000  tons.  Development  is  actively 
proceeding  under  the  management  of  Austin  H.  Brown.  The 
company  has  secured  a  smelter  site  a  half  mile  from  Kennet, 
to  which  a  spur  railroad  is  being  built.  The  reported  intention 
is  to  proceed  with  the  erection  of  a  smelter  of  500  tons  or  more 
capacity  and  to  build  a  railroad  from  the  mine  to  the  smelter. 


SHASTA    COrXTV — TMl-:    COPPER    BKLT.  51 

The  company  also  owns  the  King  Copper  in   this  portion  of 
the  belt. 

The  Mammoth,  comprising  nearly  looo  acres  of  land  on  the 
belt,  likewise  displays  a  large  body  of  low-grade  ore,  and  it  is 
being  extensively  developed  by  Eastern  capital,  with  ])roduc- 
tion  rather  than  promotion  as  the  object  in  contemplation. 

The  Monnt  Shasta  Gold  Mines  Corporation,  composed 
mainly  of  Chicago  capitalists,  which  owns  the  Mount  vShasta 
gold  mine  in  this  county,  entered  the  copper  field  in  1901  and 
has  secured  some  copper  properties,  the  most  important  being 
the  McClure  group  on  Bully  Hill.  The  veins  of  the  Bully 
Hill  mine  enter  this  property,  and  developments  are  reported 
to  make  a  very  valuable  showing  of  ore  similar  to  that  of  the 
adjoining  producer.  The  company  has  bought  the  townsite  of 
Sallee  for  a  smelter  site  and  has  announced  its  intention  of 
erecting  a  reducing  plant  and  beginning  producing  operations. 
These  plans,  or  any  of  them,  if  carried  out,  will  largely  increase 
the  copper  and  precious  metal  output  of  the  belt.  Companies, 
syndicates,  and  individuals  are  exploiting  other  properties, 
usually  composed  of  quite  a  number  of  mining  claims. 

The  vState  Mining  Bureau's  register  of  the  mines  of  Shasta 
County  lists  fifty-seven  copper  properties  belonging  to  the 
copper  belt.  A  summary  of  some  of  the  data  relating  to  them 
may  help  give  a  general  idea  of  the  conditions  and  the  present 
state  of  development.  Tunnels  have  been  opened  or  started  in 
forty-five  of  these  properties.  Aside  from  the  thou.sands  of 
feet  of  tunnels  and  stopes  in  the  Iron  Mountain  mine,  the  total 
length  of  tunnels  run  is  about  32,200  feet  and  that  of  the  drifts 
is  7600  feet,  giving  a  total  of  39,.Soo  feet.  Eight  properties 
have  tunnels  aggregating  1000  feet  or  more  each.  The  Bully 
Hill  is  credited  with  8000  feet  of  tunnels  and  5500  feet  of 
drifts,  or  13,500  feet  of  mine  opening.s.  The  adjoining  Baxter 
and  Winthrop  group,  belonging  to  the  Bully  Hill  Company, 
has  3000  feet  of  tunnels  and  1000  feet  of  drifts,  giving  the 
Bully  Hill  Company  17,500  feet  of  exploration  and  develop- 
ment work  accomplished  at  practically  one  point.  Six  other 
properties  have  tunnels  as  follows:  Afterthought,  1000  feet; 
Balaklala,  3000  feet;  Black  Diamond,  1500  feet;  Michigan, 
1575  feet;  Northern  Light,  1200  feet;  Shasta  King,  2400  feet. 
No  other  properties  have  1000  feet  of  openings. 

Shafts  cut  a  noticeably  small  figure  along  the  copper  belt. 


52  THE   COPPER   RESOURCES  OF   CALIFORNIA. 

and  they  may  be  practicall)'  regarded  as  non-existent.  They 
have  nearly  all  been  early  prospect  shafts  sunk  in  preliminary 
surface  exploration.  Throughout  the  belt  development  and 
mining  are  conducted  through  tunnels,  which  the  topography 
so  generally  favors.  Twentj'-one  properties  have  been  opened 
by  shafts,  but  only  seven  are  lOo  or  mote  feet  deep,  and  the 
deepest,  that  of  the  Afterthought,  is  300  feet.  The  record  of 
development  work  includes  but  six  open  cuts,  aggregating  400 
feet.  The  openings  here  noted  have  been  supplemented  in  the 
work  of  exploration  along  the  belt  by  thousands  of  feet  of 
diamond-drill  borings,  chiefly  made  by  the  Mountain  Copper 
Company  in  its  own  and  in  bonded  properties. 

Tunnels  and  drifts 'have  reached  depths  of  more  than  250 
feet  below  gossan  outcrop  in  eleven  properties,  and  more  than 
500  feet  in  four.  The  deepest  point  reached  has  been  in  the 
Bully  Hill,  700  feet  below  the  top  of  the  gossan  on  the  hill. 
The  Afterthought  has  reached  635  feet  in  similar  depth,  the 
Iron  Mountain  600  feet,  and  the  Sugar  Loaf  670  feet,  the  last 
having  700  feet  of  tunnel  openings.  The  copper  belt  has  thus 
not  reached  the  stage  of  "deep  mining."  The  deepest  ores  3'et 
displaced  are  above  the  floors  of  the  creeks  and  gulches  about 
them.  What  lies  at  greater  depths  in  the  veins  of  the  central 
and  eastern  parts  of  the  belt  must  be  reserved  for  future 
reports. 

The  range  of  the  altitudes  credited  to  the  mines  is  wide,  and 
illustrates  the  rugged  nature  of  the  country.  The  highest 
properties  are  in  the  elevations  west  of  the  Sacramento  ^iver. 
The  top  of  Iron  Mountain  is  3000  feet  above  the  sea  and  2400 
feet  above  the  Sacramento  River.  The  Marshall  and  Waters 
group,  two  miles  north  of  Iron  Mountain,  includes  a  point  3500 
feet  in  altitude,  and  the  Summit  group,  farther  north,  lies  at 
3000  feet.  The  lowest  property  is  the  Hotchkiss,  750  feet,  a 
little  south  of  Bully  Hill,  which  rises  to  1400  feet.  Forty-four 
properties  are  above  1000  feet,  twent}'  above  2000  feet,  and 
fourteen  are  at  altitudes  below  1000  feet.  Redding,  on  the 
Sacramento  River,  is  550  feet  above  the  sea. 

The  latest  record  showed  1800  men  directly  employed  in 
mining,  smelting,  and  exploration  at  thirty-four  properties 
along  the  belt.  The  Iron  Mountain  mine  and  smelter  gave 
work  to  1 200  men,  and  350  were  employed  by  the  Bully  Hill 
Company.     The    remaining    250    were    engaged    mainly    in 


SHASTA    COUNTY — GEIOLOGY   OF   COPPER    BELT.  ^' 

exploration  work.  The  Balaklala  mine  employed  60  men,  two 
mines  employed  20  each,  and  ten  5  or  more  each,  driving 
tunnels  requiring  but  a  small  force. 

The  development  of  water  powers  and  electrical  plants,  the 
building  of  towns  and  branch  railroads,  the  stimulation  of 
gold  mining,  lumbering,  manufacturing,  and  other  industrial 
enterprises,  and  increase  of  population  and  of  general  pros- 
perity are  among  the  features  incidental  to  the  progress  of  the 
copper  industry  and  mainly  consequent  on  it.  A  branch  rail- 
road along  the  Pitt  River  from  near  Kennet  to  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Bully  Hill  and  probably  on  into  the  timber  region 
promises  early  realization.  The  smelting  town  of  Keswick 
has  a  population  of  1800.  Kennet,  on  the  Sacramento  River, 
is  a  small  town  that  expects  to  grow  and  prosper  with 
promised  developments.  The  small  ancient  town  of  Copper 
City,  near  Bully  Hill,  with  a  population  of  about  100,  antici- 
pates another  revival.  In  and  about  the  new  town  of  Delamar 
at  Bully  Hill  there  is  now  a  population  of  about  1500. 
Redding,  the  county  .seat  and  the  distributing  point  for  a  large 
region  of  Northern  California,  has  a  population  of  over  4000 
and  is  experiencing  marked  growth  and  prosperity. 

GEOLOGY  OF  THE  COPPER  BELT. 

It  would  not  be  possible  to  include  in  this  report  a  discussion 
of  the  geological  features  of  the  copper  belt  that  would  be  in 
any  degree  complete.  Only  brief  statements  can  here  be  given 
regarding  the  various  classes  of  rocks  more  directly  connected 
with  the  ore  deposits. 

The  oldest  sedimentar\'  rocks  that  are  encountered  here  are 
those  of  the  Devonian  age.  They  are  found  especially  along 
the  western  districts,  extending  at  intervals  northward  from 
Clear  Creek  to  the  Big  Backbone,  or  beyond.  They  have  been 
found  also  to  the  east  of  the  Sacramento  River,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Baird  and  perhaps  farther  south.  These  rocks  are  mainly 
metamorphic,  often  becoming  schistose  or  crystalline.  They 
include  the  limestones  and  their  underlying  slates,  or  schists, 
near  Kennet  and  Copley,  and  at  the  lime  quarr>'  on  Clear 
Creek  in  the  vicinity  of  Horsetown.  Probably  the  schists 
entangled  with  the  eruptives  throughout  the  western  districts 
are  of  Devonian  age. 


54  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

The  next  succeeding  period  represented  among  the  sedi- 
mentary rocks  is  that  of  the  Carboniferous.  This  period  is 
represented  by  the  conspicuous  limestone  belt  east  of  the 
McCloud  River,  near  Baird,  and  extending  in  a  southerly 
direction  toward  the  Great  Vallej'  to  the  south  of  Pitt  River. 
Bass's  ranch,  on  the  old  Oregon  road,  is  a  classical  locality  for 
Carboniferous  fossils  in  California.  The  Carboniferous  beds, 
like  the  Devonian,  include  both  limestones  and  slates,  both  of 
which  are  in  a  large  degree  metamorphic.  The  thick  lime- 
stones are  underlain  by  dark  slates,  and  both  are  very  fossil- 
iferous.  These  beds  will  be  referred  to  again  in  connection 
with  certain  metalliferous  deposits  in  the  vicinity  of  Pitt  River. 

Succeeding  the  Carboniferous  period,  the  next  oldest  sedi- 
mentary rocks  in  this  region  are  those  of  the  Triassic  age. 
These  occur  still  farther  east  in  the  vicinity  of  Squaw  Creek 
and  Bear  Mountain.  They  consist  for  the  most  part  of  dark, 
thin-bedded,  silicious  slates,  overlain  in  some  places  by  lime- 
stone, which  is  usually  very  fossiliferous.  The  Triassic  strata 
are  much  less  affected  by  metamorphism  than  either  the  Car- 
boniferous or  Devonian  rocks.  The  limestone  is  highly  crystal- 
line, but  the  slates  are  rarely  if  ever  schisted,  though  they  are 
much  disturbed  in  their  position,  being  usually  more  or  less 
tilted. 

The  lower  portion  of  the  Triassic  beds  contains  thick  beds  of 
fragmental  volcanic  rock  of  an  andesitic  character,  resembling 
beds  of  volcanic  tuf?  of  a  much  younger  age.  These  are 
especially  noticeable  near  the  bridge  on  Pitt  River  east  of 
Copper  City.  It  is  curious  to  note  the  general  resemblance  of 
the  sediments  in  these  three  distinct  periods.  In  each  case  the 
lower  beds  are  of  a  slaty  nature,  v/hile  the  upper  are  of  lime- 
stone. The  limestones  to  the  north  and  east  of  Bulh*  Hill 
belong  to  the  Triassic  period,  and  have  furnished  not  only  an 
abundance  of  marine  shells,  but  also  the  bones  of  extinct 
saurians.  ' 

The  last  important  sedimentary-  beds  that  require  mention 
are  those  of  the  Cretaceous  period.  These  beds  are  confined  to 
the  lower  foothills  of  the  copper  belt,  and  to  the  valley  floor. 
They  occur  near  Horsetown,  Redding,  Sand  Flat,  Dr>-  Creek, 
and  Cow  Creek,  forming  an  irregular  belt  or  zone  extending  in 
a  northeasterly  direction  toward  the  low  country  north  of 
Lassen   Peak.     They  are  of  Upper  Cretaceous  age,  and  are 


SHASTA    COUNTY — GEOLOGY   OK   COPPER    BELT.  55 

generally  fossiliferous.  The  beds  are  of  shale  and  sandstone, 
which  have  a  relatively  slight  dip  to  the  south  or  east.  It  is 
this  series  which  has  been  prospected  for  petroleum  during  the 
last  year. 

The  Cretaceous  beds,  and  in  fact  .some  of  the  older  beds  of 
the  foothills,  are  overlain  1)\-  beds  of  volcanic  tufif  which  were 
once  more  extensive  in  their  distribution  than  now,  and  also 
by  accumulations  of  alluvial  gravels.  It  is  impossible  in  the 
limited  space  of  this  report  to  give  more  than  a  mere  outline  of 
these  deposits,  but  it  is  important  that  at  least  a  few  para- 
graphs be  selected  from  the  geological  history  of  the  region  in 
order  that  there  may  be  a  better  comprehension  of  the  para- 
graphs which  follow. 

THE   IGNEOUS   ROCKS. 

More  vitally  connected  with  the  ore  deposits  of  the  copper 
belt  are  the  igneous  rocks  embraced  in  its  area.  Those  which 
are  directly  concerned  are  either  of  one  class,  or  they  belong  to 
classes  closely  related  and  are  probabh-  of  about  the  same  age. 
The  geological  age  to  which  they  seem  referable  can  not  be 
younger  than  the  Cretaceous  nor  older  than  the  Triassic. 
Their  approach  toward  the  surface  of  the  earth  as  intrusions 
covering  an  extensive  territory  was  no  doubt  very  gradual, 
though  in  its  late  stages  it  was  doubtless  accompanied  by  erup- 
tions of  lavas  and  the  formations  of  dikes  that  were  of  more 
sudden  creation.  Most  of  these  rocks  are  of  an  acid  character, 
or  in  other  words,  high  in  their  percentage  of  silica.  It  would 
be  interesting  to  note  the  relation  of  these  igneous  rocks  to  the 
topographic  features  of  the  country,  to  the  older  sedimentary 
rocks,  and  to  the  ore  deposits  themselves,  but  this  would  carry 
the  discussion  beyond  the  limits  of  the  present  paper.  A  little 
may  be  said,  however,  regarding  the  structural  features  of  the 
country  and  the  classification  of  these  rocks. 

In  the  main,  eruptive  or  igneous  rocks  have  the  appearance 
of  underlying  all  of  the  sedimentary'  rocks,  including  those  of 
Devonian  as  well  as  those  of  Cretaceous  age.  In  all  the  larger 
streams,  and  in  many  of  the  smaller  ones,  erosion  has  cut  down 
through  the  overlying  sedimentary  rocks  and  exposed  the 
eruptives  along  the  valley  bottoms.     As  extensive  intrusions 


56  THE   COPPER   RESOURCES   OF  CALIFORNIA. 

which  have  risen  into  the  old  sedimentary  rocks,  there  are 
many  variations,  and  no  less  variety  also  in  the  flows  of  vol- 
canic rocks  that  finally  resulted.  The  deep-seated  phases  of 
these  eruptions  include  granite,  granite  porphyry  (quartz 
porphyry),  and  diorite,  including  quartz  diorite.  These  rocks 
are  either  coarsely  or  finely  crystalline,  and  of  a  light  gray 
color,  greenish  or  dark,  varying  with  locality. 

Rhyolite,  trachyte,  and  andesite  are  names  properly  given  to 
surface  flows  of  volcanic  rocks,  and  such  flows  occur  through- 
out the  copper  districts,  associated  with  tuffs  and  breccias  of  a 
similar  age  and  character.  These  flows  doubtless  correspond 
in  character  to  the  deep-seated  rocks  already  mentioned,  and 
represent  the  outpourings  that  followed  their  action.  These 
volcanic  rocks,  including  both  the  flows  and  the  fragmental 
rocks,  are  especially  seen  near  Iron  Mountain,  the  Shasta 
King  mine,  Bully  Hill,  and  the  Afterthought.  The  term 
porphyry  should  perhaps  be  applied  only  to  dike  rocks,  and 
some  of  these  are  found  along  the  copper  belt.  There  are  cer- 
tain dikes,  however,  which  cut  the  limestones  in  the  vicinity 
of  Baird,  which  should  be  classed  as  diabases.  These  accom- 
pany the  iron  ores  and  the  occurrences  of  magnetic  pyrite. 

METAMORPHIC   ROCKS. 

A  third  and  important  class  of  rocks  that  are  frequent  in 
the  copper  belt  includes  most  of  the  crystalline  limestone,  and 
certain  "slates"  and  schists  near  Copley,  Redding,  and  Clear 
Creek.  These  rocks  are  largely  of  Devonian  age,  and  appear 
to  be  partly  of  an  igneous  origin.  Truly  metamorphosed 
sedimentary  rocks  are  very  often  involved  in  the  eruptive  and 
volcanic  rocks  along  the  copper  belt,  and  are  not  always 
easily  distinguished  from  them,  where  the  metamorphic  action 
has  been  intense  and  the  weathering  considerable. 

In  the  main  structural  features,  therefore,  the  copper  belt 
consists  of  a  number  of  north  and  south  folds,  or  belts,  of  sedi- 
mentary rocks,  which  belong  to  a  succession  of  periods,  and 
beneath  which  extend  the  rocks  of  the  great  granitic  intru- 
sion. Dike  rocks  have  been  found  penetrating  both  the 
eruptives  and  the  overlying  sedimentary  rocks.  A  clear 
knowledge  of  these  structural  features  in  a  measure  simplifies 
many  things  relating  to  the  ore  deposits. 


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57 


belt,  that 
are  quite 
ood,  both 
II,  though 
ipper   ore 
:eption  in 
great  size 
occurring 
:ks.     It  is 
found  in 
in  fact  in 
not  com- 
)ly  defined 
ora  ore  in 
:h  there  is 
small  per- 
not    often 
sometimes 
xtent    and 
r   material 
or  vertical 
that  such 
of  the  ore. 
ent   to  the 
lis  are  only 
f   the  most 
le  ore  l)ody 
owed  for  a 

ontains  the 
'.  The  ore 
ects   unsur- 

by  500  feet 
nt  develop- 
kness  of  at 
ascertained, 
ssed  as  ore, 
ve  sulphide, 

the  Shasta 


57 


belt,  that 
are  quite 
ood,  both 
II,  though 
jpper   ore 
:eption  in 
great  size 
occurring 
:ks.     It  is 
found  in 
in  fact  in 
not  com- 
)ly  defined 
ora  ore  in 
:h  there  is 
small  per- 
not    often 
sometimes 
xtent   and 
r   material 
or  vertical 
that  such 
of  the  ore. 
ent   to  the 
lis  are  only 
f   the  most 
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owed  for  a 

ontains  the 
'.  The  ore 
ects   unsur- 

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nt  develop- 
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ascertained, 
ssed  as  ore, 
ve  sulphide, 

the  Shasta 


SHASTA    COUNTY — GEOLOGY   OF   COPPER    BELT.  0/ 

ORE   DEPOSITS. 

The  deposits  of  copper  ore  belonging  to  the  copper  belt,  that 
are  now  attracting  so  much  attention  in  this  county,  are  quite 
unlike  the  usual  quartz  veins  as  ordinarily  understood,  both 
as  to  their  forms  as  ore  bodies  and  as  to  their  origin,  though 
probably  they  are    not   different    from   bodies   of   copper   ore 
occurring  elsewhere.     There  is  considerable  misconception  in 
this  regard.     As  a  rule  these  ore  bodies  are  of  very  great  size 
and  consist   of   large  bodies  of   massive   sulphides   occurring 
along  the  borders  of  or  within  areas  of  eruptive  rocks.     It  is 
rarely  that  any  considerable  bodies  of  ore  have  been  found  in 
this  belt  inclosed  in  unaltered  sedimentary  rocks,  or  in  fact  in 
metamorphic   rocks   other  than   schists.     They  are  not  com- 
monly separated  from  their  inclosing  rocks  by  sharply  defined 
boundaries,  but  fade  out  by  gradual  transitions  from  ore  in 
which  there  is  more  or  less  waste  to  rock  in  which  there  is 
more  or  less  ore,  and  finally  into  rock  with  only  a  small  per- 
centage   of    disseminated     sulphides.      They   are    not    often 
bounded  along  the  sides  by  definite  walls,  though  sometimes 
one   wall   is   in   evidence,  emphasized   as   to    its   extent   and 
importance  by  a  selvage   of  clay  and  other   similar   material 
which  testifies  to  a  certain  amount  of  either  lateral  or  vertical 
movement.     It   does   not  always  appear,  however,  that  such 
walls  have  had  any  connection  with  the  genesis  of  the  ore. 
The  ore  bodies  are  not  conformable    in   their   extent   to  the 
directions  of  these  walls,  and  it  may  be  that  the  walls  are  only 
planes  of   shearing  developed  secondarily.     One  of   the  most 
clearly  defined  walls  is  along  the  eastern  face  of  the  ore  body 
in  the  Shasta  King  mine,  where  it  has  been  followed  for  a 
distance  of  at  least  400  feet. 

The  western  section  of  the  Sha.sta  copper  belt  contains  the 
largest  deposits  of  ore  yet  discovered  in  the  county.  The  ore 
bodies  of  the  Balaklala  group  are  in  some  respects  unsur- 
passed. The  larger  body  extends  over  a  space  700  by  500  feet 
in  its  greater  dimensions,  as  proved  by  its  present  develop- 
ment. It  lies  in  an  inclined  position,  with  a  thickness  of  at 
least  50  feet,  but  its  real  extent  has  yet  to  be  ascertained. 
Not  all  of  the  contents  of  this  space  is  to  be  classed  as  ore, 
though  the  tunnels  often  extend  through  massive  sulphide, 
with  but  little  waste,  for  loo  or  even  200  feet.     In  the  Shasta 


SHASTA   COUNTY — GEOLOGY  OF  COPPER    BELT.  57 


ORE   DEPOSITS. 


The  deposits  of  copper  ore  belonging  to  the  copper  belt,  that 
are  now  attracting  so  much  attention  in  this  county,  are  quite 
unlike  the  usual  quartz  veins  as  ordinarily  understood,  both 
as  to  their  forms  as  ore  bodies  and  as  to  their  origin,  though 
probably  they  are    not   different    from   bodies   of   copper   ore 
occurring  elsewhere.     There  is  considerable  misconception  in 
this  regard.     As  a  rule  these  ore  bodies  are  of  very  great  size 
and  consist   of   large  bodies  of   massive   sulphides   occurring 
along  the  borders  of  or  within  areas  of  eruptive  rocks.     It  is 
rarely  that  any  considerable  bodies  of  ore  have  been  found  in 
this  belt  inclosed  in  unaltered  sedimentary  rocks,  or  in  fact  in 
metamorphic   rocks   other  than   schists.     They  are  not  com- 
monly separated  from  their  inclosing  rocks  by  sharply  defined 
boundaries,  but  fade  out  by  gradual  transitions  from  ore  in 
which  there  is  more  or  less  waste  to  rock  in  which  there  is 
more  or  less  ore,  and  finally  into  rock  with  only  a  small  per- 
centage   of    disseminated     sulphides.      They    are    not    often 
bounded  along  the  sides  by  definite  walls,  though  sometimes 
one   wall   is   in   evidence,  emphasized   as   to   its   extent   and 
importance  by  a  selvage   of  clay  and  other   similar   material 
which  testifies  to  a  certain  amount  of  either  lateral  or  vertical 
movement.     It   does   not  always  appear,  however,  that  such 
walls  have  had  any  connection  with  the  genesis  of  the  ore. 
The  ore  bodies  are  not  conformable   in   their   extent   to  the 
directions  of  these  walls,  and  it  may  be  that  the  walls  are  only 
planes  of   shearing  developed  secondarily.     One  of   the  most 
clearly  defined  walls  is  along  the  eastern  face  of  the  ore  body 
in  the  Shasta  King  mine,  where  it  has  been  followed  for  a 
distance  of  at  least  400  feet. 

The  western  section  of  the  Shasta  copper  belt  contains  the 
largest  deposits  of  ore  yet  discovered  in  the  county.  The  ore 
bodies  of  the  Balaklala  group  are  in  some  respects  unsur- 
passed. The  larger  body  extends  over  a  space  700  by  500  feet 
in  its  greater  dimensions,  as  proved  by  its  present  develop- 
ment. It  lies  in  an  inclined  position,  wHth  a  thickness  of  at 
least  50  feet,  but  its  real  extent  has  yet  to  be  ascertained. 
Not  all  of  the  contents  of  this  space  is  to  be  classed  as  ore, 
though  the  tunnels  often  extend  through  massive  sulphide, 
with  but  little  waste,  for  100  or  even  200  feet.     In  the  Shasta 


58  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

King  mine  a  series  of  tunnels,  approximately  on  one  level, 
ha\e  penetrated  an  ore  body  which  is  shown  to  have  a  longi- 
tudinal extent  of  more  than  400  feet,  and  a  width  near  the 
apex  of  100  feet,  but  whose  depth  has  yet  to  be  learned. 

There  are  three  types  of  ore  deposits  within  the  copper  belt 
that  require  notice  in  this  report,  differing  not  only  in  their 
mineralogy  and  form,  but  also  in  their  mode  of  origin,  to  a  cer- 
tain extent.  These  are:  (i)  Deposits  of  magnetic  iron  (mag- 
netite), with  pyrrhotite  and  pyrite;  (2)  Massive  deposits  of 
pyrite,  chalcopyrite,  and  other  sulphides;  (3)  Vein-like  deposits 
of  mixed  sulphides,  including  a  relatively  large  percentage  of 
gold,  silver,  zinc,  antimony,  etc. 

The  first  class  of  deposits  occurs  most  abundantly  to  the 
north  of  Pitt  River  near  the  mouth  of  the  McCloud.  One  and 
a  half  miles  southeast  of  Baird  very  large  deposits  of  mag- 
netic iron  occur,  carrying  a  small  percentage  of  iron  sulphide, 
with  some  value  in  gold.  Associated  with  them  are  smaller 
veins  of  copper  ore.  The  largest  deposit  of  magnetic  iron  ore 
at  the  head  of  Potter  Creek  can  be  easily  traced  for  more  than 
half  a  mile,  and  undoubtedly  has  a  width  in  some  places  of 
more  than  100  feet.  Considerable  bodies  of  this  ore  are  strongly 
polarized.  It  is  associated  with  bodies  of  actinolite  and  other 
iron-bearing  silicates  representing  intense  local  metamorphism. 
The  iron  ores  are  for  the  most  part  connected  directly  with  the 
diorite  near  its  contact  with  the  massive  carboniferous  lime- 
stones, though  in  some  cases  the  ore  is  found  in  narrow  dikes 
inclosed  in  the  limestone  itself.  These  ore  bodies  are  evidently 
of  eruptive  origin,  and  probably  represent  extremely  basic 
segregations  from  the  eruptive  mass. 

The  deposits  of  the  second  class  are  those  of  mixed  pyrite, 
chalcopyrite,  and  other  sulphides,  which  form  the  principal 
deposits  of  copper  ore  lying  west  of  the  Sacramento  River. 
This  class  includes  the  ore  bodies  of  Iron  Mountain,  Squaw 
Creek,  Backbone  Creek,  etc.  They  are  inclosed  either  partially 
or  wholly  in  the  metamorphic  schists  of  the  western  districts, 
and  are  usually  closely  connected  with  the  acid  eruptives 
involved  with  them.  These  deposits  appear  to  have  been  one 
of  the  results  of  metasomatic  action  attending  the  intrusion  or 
extrusion  of  the  acid  eruptive  rocks.  Some  of  the  deposits  are 
found  closely  connected  with  rhyolitic  flows. 

The  ore  deposits  of  the  third  class  are  represented  by  those 


SHASTA    COUNTY — ClKOLOGY   OF   COPPER    BELT. 


59 


60  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

of  Copper  City,  the  Bully  Hill,  Afterthought,  and  other  mines. 
In  form  they  have  some  resemblances  to  irregular  veins  with 
a  succession  of  ore  shoots  arranged  along  certain  lines. 
Although  in  the  manner  of  their  origin  and  occurrence  they 
are  not  thought  to  be  different  from  the  preceding,  yet  they  are 
much  more  limited  in  extent,  and  are  characterized  by  the 
presence  of  larger  percentages  of  gold,  silver,  zinc,  and  anti- 
mony, and  sometimes  copper,  together  with  barites  as  a  gangue 
mineral.  They  have  also  a  correspondingly  low  percentage 
of  iron. 

The  alteration  of  these  ores,  especially  those  of  the  latter 
classes,  is  of  special  interest.  Where  surface  erosion  has 
exposed  or  truncated  the  ore  bodies,  there  has  usually  been  a 
large  amount  of  oxidation  and  destruction  of  the  sulphides. 
The  oxidation  and  the  formation  of  soluble  sulphates  have 
resulted  in  a  leaching  of  certain  metallic  contents,  which  have 
been  carried  either  downward  or  outward  according  to  the 
direction  of  the  drainage.  Residual  accumulations  of  metallic 
oxides  is  the  rule,  often  forming  thick  crusts  of  masses  of 
"gossan,"  or  else  only  staining  the  rocks  upon  which  it  is 
deposited.  The  chief  metallic  element  of  the  gossan  is  of 
course  iron,  though  it  very  often  contains  a  small  percentage 
of  copper,  and  it  has  often  formed  an  ore  of  gold  and  silver, 
as  in  the  Iron  Mountain,  Bully  Hill,  and  Afterthought  mines. 

The  term  "gossan"  appears  to  be  onlj^  vaguely  understood, 
and  it  has  generally  been  applied  in  Northern  California  with- 
out discrimination  between  the  thicker  crusts  of  limonite  and 
the  more  or  less  aecayed  rocks  which  are  only  stained  with 
the  same  material.  At  Iron  Mountain  the  iron  oxide  which 
has  resulted  from  the  decay  and  leaching  of  the  ores  has  formed 
in  some  cases  crusts  of  limonite  many  feet  in  thickness.  These 
crusts  have  a  bedded  structure  characteristic  of  materials 
deposited  by  water.  There  is  comparatively  little  rock  or 
earthy  matter  in  some  of  these  deposits,  and  it  is  evident  that 
they  are  accumulations  of  iron  oxide  carried  by  means  of  water 
from  ore  bodies  of  considerable  extent.  Furthermore,  it  is 
evident  that  iron  is  one  of  the  chief  elements  of  the  ore. 

At  Bully  Hill  the  surface  indications  are  very  diSerent, 
although  the  term  gossan  is  likewise  applied.  Instead  of  thick 
crusts  of  limonite  the  surface  is  largely  covered  by  broken  and 
stained  masses   of   rock,  often   light   colored,  but  containing 


SHASTA   COUNTY — GEOLOGY   OF   COPPER    BELT.  61 

generally  some  metallic  oxides,  perhaps  including  antimony  or 
zinc.  The  rock  is  extensively  decomposed  and  earthy,  forming 
what  is  often  termed  "soft  porphyr>'."  Such  croppings  do  not 
indicate  an  ore  that  is  very  high  in  its  percentage  of  iron. 
The  quantity  of  gossan  found  on  the  surface  is  generally  taken 
as  an  index  of  the  quantity  of  sulphide  that  has  been  affected 
by  weathering,  and  accordingly  of  the  quantity  of  sulphide 
that  may  be  expected  to  be  found  by  development. 

As  an  index  to  the  location  of  ore  deposits,  the  material 
termed  "gossan"  is  of  great  importance  to  the  prospector,  and 
a  word  may  be  added  as  to  the  forms  in  which  it  commonly 

occurs. 

(i)  There  are  residual  masses  of  iron  oxide  in  place,  which 
have  not  been  removed  from  the  position  of  the  decomposed 

sulphide. 

(2)  Iron  oxide  is  carried  by  circulating  waters  toward  the 
surface  or  elsewhere,  and  deposited  as  crusts  or  beds  of 
limonite. 

(3)  Iron  oxide  may  merely  stain  the  more  or  less  altered 
country  rock,  becoming  very  deceptive  as  to  the  quantity  and 
quality  of  the  sulphides  from  which  it  has  been  derived.  The 
sulphates  that  result  from  oxidation  of  iron  sulphides  react 
strongly  on  the  country  rock,  reducing  it  to  the  form  of  white 
clay  and  fine  white  silica,  but  the  oxide  of  iron  may  also  stain 
this  material  to  a  brownish  or  dark  color. 

(4)  Much  of  the  so-called  "gossan"  of  Bully  Hill  is  only 
decomposed  rock,  consisting  of  silica  and  clay  which  is  often 
only  slightly  stained  with  iron  oxide. 

Secondary  enrichment  in  these  ore  deposits  is  very  frequent. 
The  leaching  of  the  surface  ores  results  in  the  formation  of 
soluble  sulphates  and  perhaps  other  compounds  of  the  metals 
which  are  carried  downward  into  the  lower  portions  of  the  ore 
body,  where  richer  sulphides  are  again  precipitated.  This 
appears  to  have  been  the  origin  of  much  of  the  chalcocite  and 
of  the  chalcopyrite  and  other  richer  ores  which  are  found  below 
the  zones  of  complete  and  partial  oxidation.  Such  richer  ores 
commonly  have  a  banded  structure  showing  clearly  their 
secondary  deposition,  which  the  unaltered  sulphides  do  not 
appear  to  have.  The  depth  to  which  this  secondary  enrich- 
ment has  extended  varies  with  the  conditions,  no  doubt.  In 
the  deposits  of  the  Iron  Mountain  mine  it  extends  to  a  depth 


62 


THE   COPPER   RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


of  300  to  400  feet.  Ill  the  Bully  Hill  mines  the  depth  is 
.possibly  even  greater.  Below  the  zone  of  secondary  enrich- 
ment the  ores  are  usually  of  lower  grade,  consisting  largely  of 
the   unaltered   sulphides,  which   in   themselves  often  become 


more  sparingly  distributed.     The  banding  of  the  ores,  that  is 
the  alternating  darker  and  lighter  bands  that  are  often  found 
in  them,  is  probably  the  result  of  secondary  action  within  the 
ore  body,  subsequent  to  the  formation  of  the  ore  body  itself. 
The  much  talked  of  ore  deposits  of  Iron  Mountain  deser\'e 


SHASTA   COUNTY— GEOLOGY   OF  COPPER    BELT. 


63 


to  be  particularly  noticed  in  several  of  their  aspects.  The 
principal  one  of  these  lies  on  the  southern  slope  of  the  ridge  to 
the  north  of  Slick  Rock  canon,  where  its  position  and  extent 
are  superficially  indicated  by  an  impressive  outcrop  of  gossan. 
This  gossan  consists  of  various  materials,  the  most  noticeable 
one  naturally  being  the  iron  oxides.  The  oxides  of  iron  occur 
as  thick  beds  or  crusts  of  liraonite,  or  as  infiltrations  or  stains 
mingled  with  more  or  less  rock  and  earthy  matter.  The 
limonite  accumulations  have  at  some  points  a  thickness  of 

more  than  30  feet. 

As  an  ore  body  this  deposit  of  sulphide  is  roughly  lenticular 
in   form,   standing  in  a  steeply  inclined  position,  the  upper 
border  of  which  has  been  truncated  by  the  slope  of  the  hill 
under    atmospheric   erosion.     The   longest   dimension   of  the 
ore  body  conforms  to  the  strike  of  the  rocks  in  which  it  is 
inclosed,   and  approximates  a  length  of  about  600  feet.     Its 
course  is  northeasterly.     Its  vertical  depth  is  something  over 
300  feet,  and  its  greatest  thickness  about  250  feet.     It  has  been 
described  as  being  "egg-shaped,"  with  its  smaller  end  down- 
ward, but  this  is  true  only  in  cross-section.     There    is   com- 
paratively little  waste  rock  contained  within  its  boundaries, 
and  for  the  most  part  it  could  be  described  as  homogeneous 
sulphide.     Therefore,  its  total  tonnage  of  sulphide  has  probably 
exceeded  that  which  has  commonly  been  reported,  yet  not  all 
of  this  is  to  be  regarded  as  ore.     In  the  several  levels  in  which 
this  ore  body  has  been  explored  the  sulphide  is  not  of  uniform 
grade.     In  an  intermediate  zone  or  level,  generally  spoken  of 
as  the  "copper  level,"  the  ore  consists  of  mixed  pyrite  and 
chalcopyrite,  and  has  an  average  grade   probably  not  below 
7  per  cent  of  copper;  indeed,  some  portions  of  it  carry  a  value 
above  12  per  cent  or  even  15  per  cent  in  copper.     Above  this 
zone  is  that  of  partial  or  complete  oxidation,  from  which  the 
copper    contents    have    been    largely   removed   by   leaching. 
Below  the  "copper  level"  the  ore  is  likewise  of  lower  grade  in 
copper,  but  in  this  case  from  a  different  cause.     The  "copper 
level"  is  a  zone  of  secondary  enrichment,  below  which  such 
action    has   not  been  effected.     The  ore  carries  considerable 
value  in  gold  and  silver,  its  gold  values  ranging  above  $5  per 
ton  for  large  masses  of  ore.     Probably  none  of  the  sulphide  is 
without  its  gold  content,  even  when  it  contains  only  a  trace 
of  copper. 


64 


THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Of  the  Other  ore  bodies  upon  this  property  l)ut  little  can  be 
said.  On  the  Hornet  claim  lying  across  Boulder  Creek  a  large 
body  of  pyritic  ore  has  been  found  which  is  of  rather  low  grade. 
It  has  a  thickness  of  over    150  feet,  and  lies  in  an  inclined 


position,  as  elsewhere  shown.  Regarding  the  formations  in 
which  these  deposits  occur,  all  that  can  be  said  now  is  that 
they  appear  to  be  inclosed  in  a  somewhat  talcose  metamorphic 
schist,  with  which    are   associated   granite-porphyry  and   old 


SHASTA   COUNTY — GEOLOGY   OF   COPPER    BELT.  G5 

flows  of  rhyolitic  lava.  In  some  places  the  rhyolitic  rocks  have 
a  decidedly  brecciated  character. 

The  mineralogy  of  the  ore  deposits  is  a  topic  for  fruitful 
investigation.  The  deposits  of  the  eastern  and  the  western 
districts  differ  to  some  extent  in  their  mineralogy  as  well  as  in 
the  richness  of  their  ores.  Most  of  the  ores  of  the  western 
district  are  of  lower  grade  than  those  worked  at  the  Bully  Hill 
mines,  though  at  the  same  time  they  are  of  much  larger 
dimensions.  Large  bodies  of  ore  characterize  the  western 
district,  while  high-grade  ores  are  more  frequent  in  the  eastern. 

The  ores  of  the  Bully  Hill  mines  are  usually  of  a  dark  lead- 
gray  color,  in  which  the  dark  sulphides  of  copper  and  zinc  often 
form  the  predominating  elements.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
ores  found  in  the  workings  near  Copper  City  and  in  the  mines 
of  the  Afterthought  group.  The  ores  contain  zinc  blende, 
chalcocite,  bornite,  chalcopyrite,  tetrahedrite,  melaconite,  and 
carbonates  of  copper,  with  some  native  copper,  silver,  and  gold. 
The  gangue  minerals  are  barite,  calcite,  quartz,  and  residual 
clay  silica  and  iron  oxide. 

Ill  the  western  district,  the  ores  of  the  Balaklala,  Shasta 
King,  Mammoth,  Summit,  and  Golinsky  groups,  and  also  of 
some  others,  are  an  intimate  mixture  of  pyrite  and  chalcopvrite, 
with  occasionally  a  little  zinc  blende  and  some  carbonates. 
In  the  ores  of  Iron  Mountain  there  are  some  of  greater  value 
including  bornite  and  chalcocite.  The  gangue  includes  silicious 
materials,  commonly  known  as  quartzite,  both  east  and  west; 
but  as  the  ores  are  not  always  connected  with  sedimentary  beds, 
the  silicious  material  is  perhaps  largely  of  a  .secondary  nature. 

The  Iron  Mountain  ores  comprise  the  oxides  at  and  near  the 
surface  and  the  deeper-lying  sulphides.  The  oxides  carry  but 
a  very  small  percentage  of  copper,  their  main  values  being  in 
gold  and  silver,  for  which  these  ores  were  at  one  time  worked. 
They  consist  principally  of  ferric  oxide,  accompanied  by  a 
little  silica  and  alumina.  Analyses  of  trial  lots  have  afforded 
the  following: 

Sulphur 13.41  2.49 

Iron  in  FeS., n.40  2.09 

Ferric  oxide 48.22  70.88 

Zinc.    .    0.24  0.21 

Silica 9.45  8.57 

Alumina 0.60  1.39 

Water 14.00  13.43 

5— BuL.  23 


66  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

The  sulphides,  which  carr>-  as  much  as  lo  per  cent  of  copper 

in  some  parts  of  the  mine,  are  much  poorer  in  gold  and  silver. 

One  lot  of  sulphide  ore,  consisting  of    754  tons,  smelted  in 

1896,  assayed  partly  as  follows: 

Sulphur 45.66 

Iron 36.97 

Zinc    3.41 

Silica 5.60 

Alumina 1.57 

The  total  of  these  figures  being  only  93.21  per  cent,  it  may 
be  inferred  that  the  remaining  6.79  per  cent  consists  mainly  of 
copper  and  the  precious  metals. 

Regarding  the  composition  of  the  ores  of  the  Bully  Hill  mines 
less  is  known,  but  it  is  clear  that  their  content  of  iron  is  com- 
paratively low,  rendering  a  ferruginous  flux  necessary,  and 
there  is  a  corresponding  increase  in  the  percentage  of  zinc, 
with  barytes  as  a  gangue  mineral.  Antimony  and  arsenic  are 
also  present,  though  to  what  extent  is  not  known. 

The  ores  of  the  Peck,  Afterthought,  and  Donkey  mines  in 
the  Cow  Creek  district,  which  in  manj-  respects  resemble  those 
of  the  Pittsburg  district,  are  described  as  being  "very  refrac- 
tory." William  Kemp,  who  superintended  the  last  attempt  to 
smelt  the  Afterthought  ores,  states  that  of  the  200  tons  of  ore 
which  was  smelted  in  1896,  60  tons  contained  6)4  per  cent 
zinc  and  11  per  cent  heavy  spar;  100  tons  contained  16  per 
cent  zinc  and  6  per  cent  antimony;  and  that  about  30  tons  of 
partly  oxidized  iron  and  copper  ore  contained  10  per  cent  zinc. 
He  adds:  "  From  this  ore  there  were  32  tons  of  copper  matte 
produced,  containing,  according  to  the  sample  and  assay, 
*  *  *  the  following  contents:  copper,  37  per  cent,  forty-five 
ounces  of  silver  and  $7  gold  per  ton."  The  average  grade  of 
this  ore  was  about  5.9  per  cent  copper,  and  did  not  therefore 
represent  the  better  ores  of  the  district. 

MOUNTAIN  COPPER  MINE. 

The  Mountain  Copper  Mine,  sixth  in  rank  in  the  United 
States  in  point  of  copper  production  and  the  pioneer  copper 
mine  of  the  Shasta  County  copper  belt,  is  the  old  Iron  Moun- 
tain Mine,  in  the  familiar  mountain  of  that  name,  located 
between  Slick  Rock  and  Boulder  creeks,  a  few  miles  west  of 
the   Sacramento    River,  in  Sec.  34,  T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W.     The 


SHASTA   COUNTY — MOUNTAIN    COPPER    MINE.  67 

property  included  in  the  mine  proper  embraces  a  number  of 
patented  mining  claims  on  the  top  and  sides  of  the  mountain 
and  in  the  creek  cafions.  The  mountain  is  here  about  7000 
feet  wide,  between  the  creeks  named.  The  summit  of  the 
ridge  has  an  altitude  of  3000  feet,  and  Slick  Rock  Creek  is 
700  feet  lower.  On  the  apex  of  the  mountain  stands  a  bold 
outcrop  of  gossan  300  feet  wide,  and  wide  branches  of  these 
croppings  of  iron  oxides  occur  in  irregular  belts  extending 
laterally  toward  Boulder  Creek. 

These  gossan  ores,  from  which  the  copper  has  been  leached 
out,  carry  the  silver   and   gold  values   which   prompted  and 
sustained  the  long  and  costly  efforts  at  precious-metal  mining, 
of  which  an  account  is  given  in  the  historical  chapter  of  this 
bulletin.     The  quite   extensive   development   of   the  mine  in 
former  years  had  silver  mainly  in  view,  and  the  tunnels  then 
run    had    not   quite    reached    the    copper    sulphides,    which 
remained  to  be  discovered  by  later  explorations.     It  was  as  a 
silver  mine  that  the  property  was  long  on  the  market  until 
taken  hold  of  in   1895  by  a  syndicate  of  London  people,  who 
incorporated  the  Mountain  Mines  Syndicate,  Ltd.     This  com- 
pany extended  one  of  the  prospect  tunnels,  encountered  and 
developed  a  great  body  of  sulphide  copper  ore.  and  proceeded 
to  operate  the  property  as  a  copper  mine.     Capital  was  liberally 
invested  in  mining  facilities,  a  smelting  plant,  and  a  refinery 
in  New  Jersey,  and  the  property  was,  in  less  than  two  years, 
in  profitable  and  successful  operation.     This  discovery  and  the 
success   that   early  followed   the   large-scale   operations,  first 
called  wide   attention    to   the  copper  resources   of   the   great 
mineral  belt  to  which  the  mine  belongs,  and  were  the  start  of 
copper  mining  in  Shasta  County.     January  i,  1897,  the  entire 
property  of  the  Mountain  Mines  Syndicate  was  transferred,  for 
$5,750,000,  to  the  present  Mountain  Copper  Company,  of  Lon- 
don, composed  of  practically  the  same  individual  interests,  and 
with  a  capital  stock  of  ;^i, 250,000,  or  about  $6,250,000. 

The  ore  deposits  of  Iron  Mountain,  specifically  described  in 
the  section  on  "The  Geology  of  the  Copper  Belt,"  consist  of 
immense  lenticular  masses  of  sulphides,  mainly  underlying  the 
gossan,  but  in  places  in  and  under  rhyolite,  with  no  surface 
indications  above.  The  principal  ore  mass  developed  lies  in 
the  southern  side  of  the  mountain  above  Slick  Rock  Creek, 
and  from  it  the  larger  portion  of   the  ore  mined  has  come. 


68  THK   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

This  ore  body  was  found  to  l)e  approximately  800  feet  long, 
100  to  400  feet  wide,  and  600  feet  deep  at  its  greatest  depth 
below  outcrop,  and  was  estimated  to  contain  about  1,700,000 
tons  of  ore  of  all  grades.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  mountain 
a  somewhat  similar  ore  body  has  been  partially  developed,  and 
it  is  reported  that  the  latest  developments  show  that  these 
bodies  are  connected  by  ore  extending  clear  through  the  moun- 
tain. At  the  date  of  the  transfer  to  the  Mountain  Copper 
Company  the  ore  reser\-es  in  sight  were  estimated  at  1,333,183 
tons,  and  other  ore  bodies  have  since  been  developed.  The 
total  tonnage  of  ore  mined  aggregates  nearlj^  1,000,000  tons, 
and  the  existing  reser\'es,  indicated  by  present  development, 
are  reported  to  exceed  1,000,000  tons.  The  ores  are  massive 
iron  pyrites  carrying  an  average  percentage  of  copper,  which, 
in  the  ore  smelted  to  date,  has  declined  from  7.45  in  1897  to 
5.77  in  1900,  and  a  little  less  than  5  in  the  first  six  months  of 
1 901.  The  decline  in  the  average  is  due  partly  to  the  partial 
exhaustion  of  the  ores  in  the  zone  of  secondary  enrichment  and 
partty  to  the  mining  of  lower-grade  ores  formerly  left  in  the 
mine  and  now  made  available  by  increased  eflfiiciency  of  mining 
and  reduction  and  the  enlargement  of  the  capacity'  of  the 
smelting  plant.  The  ores  carry  a  large  percentage  of  sulphur, 
a  small  amount  of  silica,  and  are  exceptionally  free  from 
arsenic,  bismuth,  and  other  elements  detracting  from  the  elec- 
trical conductivity  of  the  copper.  The  average  precious  metal 
values  are  understood  to  be  a  little  less  than  $1  in  gold  and 
approximately  2  ounces  of  silver  per  ton. 

The  mine  is  opened  by  thousands  of  feet  of  tunnels  driven 
from  points  high  up  the  sides  of  the  hill,  and  the  ore  has  been 
stoped  from  a  large  portion  of  the  ore  body  on  the  south  side. 
The  resulting  chambers,  instead  of  being  timbered,  have  been 
filled  with  waste  rock  taken  into  the  mine  from  the  surface 
as  fast  as  the  ore  was  removed,  and  the  mine  timbering  has 
been  thus  practically  limited  to  the  working  tunnels.  Three 
diamond  drills  are  included  in  the  equipment,  and  they  have 
been  extensively  used  in  explorations  both  in  Iron  Mountain 
and  in  adjacent  properties  owned,  or  prospected  under  bond, 
by  the  company.  The  numerous  buildings  at  the  mine  used 
for  all  purposes  are  grouped  in  Slick  Rock  Caiion  below  the 
mine.  The  mining  plant  includes  air-compressors  for  operating 
power  drills,  and  an  electric  railway  for  transporting  the  ore 


•J. 


■r. 


(69) 


70  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

from  the  mine  to  the  bunkers  at  the  mine  terminus  of  the 
steam  railroad  running  to  the  smelting  plant.  The  latter  road 
is  a  narrow-gauge  line  equipped  with  five  locomotives,  neces- 
sary cars,  and  a  complete  repair  shop.  It  is  eleven  miles  long, 
extremely  tortuous  in  its  course,  and  descends  a  grade  of 
nearly  2000  feet  between  the  mine  and  smelter.  At  the  latter 
place  the  ore-cars  dump  from  a  trestle  twenty  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  yard.  At  the  mine  the  cars  are  loaded  in  a  tunnel, 
into  which  chutes  lead  from  ore-bunkers  on  the  hillside.  About 
250  men  are  employed  at  the  mine. 

Owing  to  the  topography  of  the  country  no  location  suitable 
for  a  smelting  plant  could  be  found  nearer  to  the  mine  than  a 
point  several  miles  down  Slick  Rock  Creek,  and  a  little  over  a 
mile  west  of  the  Sacramento  River.  Here  the  company  at  the 
start  established  the  reduction  plant,  which  has  been  expanded 
to  its  present  scale  and  about  which  the  flourishing  town  of 
Keswick  has  grown  up.  The  private  railroad  extends  to  the 
Southern  Pacific  line  at  the  river.  The  smelting  facilities 
include  five  water-jacket  blast  furnaces,  one  brick  hot-air 
stove  to  supply  hot-air  blasts,  one  Ropp  roasting  furnace, 
eleven  Wright  circular  calcining  furnaces,  three  briquetting 
machines,  a  three-stand  converter  plant,  a  sampling  plant,  and 
other  necessary  adjuncts.  An  extensive  foundry  and  machine 
shop  are  among  the  other  features.  The  present  capacity  of 
the  plant  is  1000  tons  of  ore  per  day.  Most  of  the  1200 
employes  of  the  company  are  employed  at  the  smelter. 

When  reduction  was  first  attempted  in  1896,  the  pyritic 
method  was  tried,  under  the  direction  of  Herbert  I^ang.  This 
method  was  soon  abandoned  and  the  ordinary  blast  furnace 
method  in  general  use  in  Montana  was  adopted.  The  new 
plant  was  installed  by  H.  A.  Keller.  The  capacity  was  at 
first  250  tons  per  day.  This  has  been  quadrupled  by  successive 
enlargements  and  additions,  and  to-day  the  plant  is  a  model  of 
modern  and  efficient  equipment  and  practice. 

The  ore,  as  it  comes  from  the  mine,  carries  about  45  per 
cent  of  sulphur.  Until  1899  the  raw  ore  was  roasted  in  stalls 
to  remove  a  large  percentage  of  the  sulphur,  but  in  the  year 
mentioned  heap  roasting  in  the  open  air  was  substituted  and 
has  since  been  the  practice.  The  time  allowed  for  heap  roast- 
ing is  usually  from  60  to  70  days.  This  leaves  about  16  per  cent 
of  the  original  sulphur  content  in  the  ore,  making  the  roasted 


SHASTA    CULXTV — MOUNTAIN    COPPKK    MINE, 


71 


ore  carry  about  7  per  cent  of  sulphur  as  it  goes  to  the  furnace. 
A  large  percentage  of  the  ore,  including  the  fines,  is  roasted  in 
the  mechanical  rotary  calcining  furnaces  which  are  the  patented 
invention  of  Lewis  T.  Wright,  who  has  been  general  manager 
of  the  properties  and  operations  of  the  Mountain  Copjier  Com- 
pany in  California  for  five  years. 

The  roasted  ore  in  the  outdoor  heaps  is  loaded  into  cars  with 
steam  shovels  and  transported  to  the  blast  furnaces.  The  plant 
is  arranged  on  the  one-lev'el  plan,  the  site  not  permitting  the 
terrace  arrangement  which  facilitates  the  handling  of  material. 


McDOUGAL   ROASTING    FrRNACH.    KKSWICK    SMKr.THK,    MOUNTAIN'    COPPER 

COMP.\XV,  S1IAST.\  COL'NTV. 


The  ore  floors,  cupolas,  roasters,  etc.,  are  all  upon  one  plane, 
and  hydraulic  elevators  are  used  for  hoisting  to  the  charging 
floors,  though  some  of  the  ore  is  conveyed  directly  to  the 
cupolas  on  elevated  tracks.  The  ore  cupolas  produce  a  low- 
grade  matte,  probably  containing  20  to  30  per  cent  of  copper, 
and  this  is  in  part  subjected  to  another  roasting  before  going 
to  the  matte  furnaces  for  still  further  reduction.  The  fines 
from  the  calcining  furnaces,  together  with  the  flue  dust  and 
other  similar  material,  are  bricked  by  the  briquetting  machinery 
for  reduction  in  the  various  furnaces.  Until  recently  the  matte 
finally  produced  was  shipped  as  such  to  the  company's  refinery 


72  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES  OF   CALIFORNIA. 

at  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey,  and  the  grade  of  the  matte  produced 
by  the  furnaces  has  steadily  risen,  through  improved  processes 
and  repeated  concentration,  from  45  or  50  per  cent  in  1897  to 
about  So  per  cent  at  the  present  time.  At  about  the  beginning 
of  the  present  year  a  bessemerizing  plant  was  completed  and 
put  in  operation,  and  the  final  product  now  sent  to  the  refinery 
is  blister  copper,  probably  98  per  cent  fine. 

Early  in  1902  electric  light  and  power  for  both  smelter  and 
mine  began  to  be  supplied  by  the  Keswick  Electric  Light  and 
Power  Company  from  its  generating  plant  on  Mill  Seat  Creek, 
40  miles  southeast  of  Redding,  and  about  55  miles  from  the 
mine.     Crude  petroleum  has  for  a  good  while  been  used  for 
generating  steam  power  and  in  the  hot-air  blasts.     The  cost 
delivered  is  about  $1  per  barrel,  and  about  300  barrels  per  day 
were  used  before  electric  power  was  installed.     The  company 
owns  a  large  area  of  timber  land  on  the   Pitt  River  65  miles 
from  Keswick,  and  the  timber  and  wood  supply  is  floated  down 
the  Pitt  and  Sacramento  rivers  to  near  Keswick.     Water  for 
use  at  the  smelter  is  pumped  from  the  Sacramento  River.     The 
company  has  also  extensive  holdings  of  land  in  the    general 
region  of  the  mine  and  smelter.     Some  of  it  was  acquired  for 
its  timber,  some  for  its  possible  mineral  values,  and  some  on 
account  of  the  destructive  influence  on  vegetation  of  the  sul- 
phur fumes  from  the  burning  ore-heaps  and  the  smelter.     These 
fumes  have  killed  vegetation  through  a  large  adjacent  region 
and  this  has  given  the  company  some  trouble;  but  in  justice  to 
the  industry  it  may  be  said  that  the  destruction  is  less  serious 
than  it  would  be  in  many  other  districts,  owing  to  the  trifling 
extent  to  which   agriculture  is  carried  on  in  that  particular 
neighborhood  and  to  the  small  size  and  low  value  of  the  trees 
of  the  region. 

Many  details  of  interest  are  necessarily  absent  from  this 
sketch  of  the  Mountain  Copper  Company's  properties  and 
operations,  owing  to  the  limited  information  afforded  the  public 
by  the  company  and  its  rule  that  the  officers  shall  not  discuss 
its  business.  Its  annual  reports,  however,  afford  a  general 
knowledge  of  its  operations  and  give  the  financial  information 
which  measures  its  success.  Production  began  early  in  1 896, 
and  during  that  year  5663  tons  of  fine  copper  were  produced. 


SHASTA    COl'NTY — MOUNTAIN    COPPER    MINK.  73 

The  copper   production  of  the  four  following  years  is  stated 
by  these  reports  as  follows: 

1897.        1898.        iSgq         1900. 

Ore  extracted,  tons 165,060  221,895  203,965  179,694 

Ore  smelted,  tons 97>iy5  168,514  176,689  207,571 

Copper  matte,  tons 7.238  10,721  10,664  i'.978 

Copper  refined,  tons 5,958  8,273  ii.3«8  ii,443 

Copper  sold,  tons 6,025  8,273  9.647  10,558 

Average  per  cent  copper  in  ore.  7.5  6.33  6.04  5.77 

It  was  semi-ofhcially  reported  that  during  the  first  six 
months  of  1901  the  amount  of  ore  smelted  was  172,783  tons, 
which  would  represent  something  over  8000  tons  of  fine 
copper.  The  quantity  of  ore  smelted  during  the  first  half  of 
1 901  was  over  80  per  cent  of  the  total  quantity  for  the  previous 
year,  and  had  this  rate  of  production  been  continued  through 
the  year  a  very  large  annual  increase  would  have  resulted.  A 
fire  in  the  mine  and  other  circumstances  caused  a  large  falling 
of?  in  the  output  of  the  last  six  months,  however,  and  the  total 
record  for  the  year,  when  officially  announced,  will  probably 
be  about  equal  to  that  of  1900.  The  available  figures  indicate 
a  total  of  approximately  925,000  tons  of  ore  smelted  during  the 
six  years  of  operation,  with  an  approximate  total  output  of 
54,195  long  tons  of  fine  copper.  This  is  equal  to  121,396,800 
pounds. 

Custom  smelting  has  been  practiced  at  Keswick  since  the 
earliest  operations,  but  mainly  upon  silicious  gold  ores.  Only 
to  a  limited  extent  have  copper  ores  found  their  way  to  these 
works,  except  from  adjoining  counties.  Most  of  the  custom 
work  has  been  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  silicious 
material  required  as  flux  by  the  smelters  themselves.  Gold 
concentrates  have  been  treated  generally,  but  this  patronage  is 
not  solicited.  The  following  advertised  custom  tariflfs  of  the 
Mountain  Copper  Company  show  the  charges  on  different 
grades  of  ore: 

According  to  the  grade  of  the  ore,  the  following  per  cent  of 
the  gold  assay  value  of  gold  quartz  ore  is  returned:  From  $2 
to  $15,  75  per  cent,  with  no  smelting  charges.  From  $15  to 
$25,  77}^  per  cent;  no  smelting  charges.  From  $25  to  $50, 
90  per  cent;    smelting   charges,  $3.50   per   ton,   wet  weight. 


74  THE  COPPER   RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

From  $50  to  $75,  90  per  cent;  smelting  charges,  $5  per  ton, 
wet  weight.  From  $75  to  $100,  90  per  cent;  smelting  charges, 
$7  per  ton,  wet  weight.  From  $100  to  $200,  90  per  cent; 
smelting  charges,  $10  per  ton,  wet  weight.  Less  than  5  ounces 
of  silver  per  ton  not  paid  for.  For  high-grade  concentrates, 
90  per  cent  of  the  assay  value  in  gold  and  silver  is  returned, 
with  an  additional  charge  of  $12  per  ton  for  smelting. 

In  receiving  copper  ores,  from  the  electrolitic  copper  assay, 
one  unit,  or  one  per  cent,  is  deducted  to  cover  losses,  and  then 
on  the  basis  of  the  reduced  assay  the  tariS  is  fixed  according 
to  the  grade  of  the  ore  and  the  market  value  of  copper.  In 
all  cases  a  smelting  charge  is  made  according  to  the  character 
of  the  ore,  and  an  additional  charge  of  $3  is  attached  for  ship- 
ments in  less  than  carload  lots.  Silicious  gold  or  copper  ores 
are  always  in  demand.  The  ores  sent  to  the  smelter  from  a 
single  district  in  the  vicinity  amount  to  not  less  than  600  tons 
per  month  and  probably  more,  mainly  silicious  gold  ores. 
About  75  per  cent  of  the  silicious  ores  used  for  fluxing  are 
custom  ores.  About  twenty  mines  ship  regularly,  half  or  more 
of  them  being  in  the  Old  Diggings  district  across  the  river. 
The  ore  is  carried  across  the  Sacramento  River  by  a  cable 
tramway,  and  is  thence  taken  by  rail  to  the  smelter,  at  a  cost 
of  about  25  cents  per  ton.  Cheap  transportation  to  a  con- 
venient smelter  here  permits  the  profitable  mining  of  relatively 
low-grade  ores. 

Owing  to  the  exceptionally  low  percentages  of  arsenic, 
antimony,  etc.,  the  refined  product  of  the  Mountain  Copper 
smelter  commands  a  premium  in  the  market  for  electrical 
uses.  Its  conductivity  is  rated  at  loi,  or  more  than  the 
standard  previouslj-  fixed  for  copper  commercially  recognized 
as  pure.  A  paper  by  Edward  Keller,  in  Mineral  Industry-  for 
1900,  affords  an  analysis  of  a  sample  of  copper  matte  from  the 
Mountain  Copper  Company's  smelter,  giving  the  following 
composition  by  percentages:  Copper,  57.83;  sulphur,  22.47; 
iron,  15.28;  nickel  and  cobalt,  .005;  zinc,  2.09;  lead,  .0719; 
bismuth,  .0014;  antimony,  .0719;  arsenic,  .013;  tellurium  and 
selenium,  .006;  silver,  13.4  oz.  per  ton;  gold,  .51  oz.  per  ton. 
This  matte,  of  course,  carries  the  products  of  fluxing 
materials.     An  analysis  of  the  refined  product  is  not  available. 


SHASTA    COl'NTV — HUI.I.V    HILL    MINE.  '^ 

BULLY  HILL  MINE. 

This  property,  situated  nearly  twenty  miles  in  a  direct  line 
north  of  east  from  Iron  Mountain  and  well  toward  the  eastern 
end  of  the  copper  belt,  is  the  second  producing  copper  mine  of 
Shasta  County,  and  the  second  in  importance  in  the  State. 
The  Bully  Hill  is  an  old  property,  which,  like  the  Mountain 
Copper,  was  long  ago  and  for  a  good  while  mined,  with  little 
or  no  success,  for  the  gold  and  silver  in  the  gossan  near  the 
surface.  During  the  first  years  of  the  operations  of  the 
Mountain  Copi>er  Company  this  property  underwent  extensive 
exploration,  which  developed  important  ore  bodies  justifying 
the  expensive  further  development  and  the  installation  of 
mining  and  smelting  plants  which  followed. 

The  Bully  Hill  property  includes  seventeen  lode  claims  and 
one   placer   claim,    all   patented,    aggregating    213    acres.     It 
stretches  for  about  two  miles  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  close 
to  Squaw  Creek  and  but  a  little  north  of  Pitt  River.     It  is  in 
Sees.    15,  16,  21,  22,  and  28,  T.  34  N.,  R.  3  W.     It  is  near  the 
old  town  of  Copper  City,  and  the  new  town  Delamar  adjoins. 
About  three  years  ago.  on  the  strength  of  the  showing  made 
by  tunnels  driven  by  James  Sallee,  the  property  was  bonded  by 
J.  R.  De  La  Mar,  and  after  further  development  was  purchased 
by  him  for  $225,000.     In  1901,  the  property  was  transferred  to 
the   Bully    Hill    Copper    Mining   and  Smelting  Company,   of 
which  Mr.  De  La  Mar  is  president. 

The  owners  give  but  little  detailed  information  about  the 
mine.     It  is  in  a  zone  containing  irregular  vein-like  formations, 
capped  with  gossan,  the  veins  trending  east  of  north.     Their 
dip  is  nearly  vertical.     The  principal  Bully  Hill  veins  occur  as 
fissures  in  meta-rhyolite  as  classified  by  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey.     Two  main  parallel  ore  bodies  have  been  exploited  in 
the  lode  claims  and  one  in   the  Popejoy  placer  claim.     The 
width  of  the  veins  varies  from  4  to  100  feet,  and  averages  30 
feet.     The  ore  lies  in  lenses  connected  by  narrow  seams  of  ore. 
Four  tunnels  have  been  driven  into  the  hill,  and  the  openings 
comprise   several  thousand    feet  of   tunnels  and  drifts,   with 
extensive   stopes    and   upraises.     The   lowest  tunnel  level  is 
about  600  feet  below  the  outcrop,  and  through  this  level.  No.  3, 
most  of  the  ore  mined  is  taken  to  the  surface.     The  tunnel  is 
dri\-en  as  a  cross-cut,  and  encountered  the  main  vein  at  a  point 


o 


X 


■r. 
y. 

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(76) 


y. 


( i  I 


78  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF  CALIFORNIA. 

about  I  TOO  feet  in.  This  level  is  connected  with  the  upper 
workings,  and  the  vein  has  been  developed  by  means  of  drifts 
on  the  main  levels  for  fully  800  to  1000  feet.  At  the  point 
where  the  vein  has  been  encountered  on  No.  3,  a  station  100 
feet  square  has  been  cut,  and  extensive  hoisting  and  pumping 
machinery  is  being  installed  for  the  purpose  of  continuing 
exploration  at  greater  depth.  A  shaft  has  been  started  from 
this  station  on  No.  3,  and  is  down  over  100  feet.  In  drifting 
from  this  shaft  northeasterly  a  body  of  ore,  which  is  develop- 
ing into  unusual  importance,  was  encountered.  The  ore  at 
this  depth  is  a  chalcopyrite,  and  will  supply  the  iron  which, 
until  this  depth  was  reached,  was  inadequate  for  the  proper 
smelting  of  the  product  of  the  mine.  In  the  upper  levels, 
copper  oxide  (cuprite)  and  copper  carbonates  (malachite)  occur. 
In  these  levels,  however,  the  so-called  "black  ore,"  a  copper 
glance,  predominates,  and  supplies  most  of  the  ore  at  present 
reduced.  It  is  believed  that  the  ore  encountered  in  the  drift 
from  the  shaft  below  No.  3  approximates  what  will  prove  to  be 
the  unaltered  character  of  the  ore. 

The  mine  is  timbered  by  the  square-set  system.  Mining 
timbers  are  floated  down  Pitt  River  from  the  timber  region  to 
the  northeast,  as  is  most  of  the  cordwood  used  for  fuel  at  the 
power  plants  and  in  the  roasting  stalls.  The  values  of  the 
ores  are  not  reported,  but  it  is  stated  on  good  authority  that  a 
large  amount  of  ore  of  high  grade  in  gold  and  silver  as  well  as 
copper  has  been  developed,  and  that  the  precious  metals  con- 
stitute about  half  the  value  of  the  matte  so  far  produced. 
The  ore  is  base,  carrying  zinc,  antimony,  etc.  While  there  is 
much  high-grade  ore  in  the  mine,  it  is  understood  that  the  ores 
are  mixed  and  reduced  on  a  basis  of  an  average  copper  value 
of  10  per  cent. 

The  lowest  tunnel  is  connected  by  a  railway  with  the  well- 
equipped  smelting  plant  one  mile  distant,  which  began  opera- 
tions in  May,  1901.  The  raw  ore  is  first  roasted  in  stalls  built 
on  the  hillside  near  the  smelter.  The  series  of  stalls  constitute 
a  stone  structure  39  by  310  feet,  with  a  brick  stack  90  feet 
high  connecting  with  the  stall  flues.  The  smelting  plant  cost 
about  $200,000,  and  includes  one  water-jacket  blast  furnace, 
two  calcining  furnaces,  five  converters  in  two  stands  for 
bessemerizing  the  matte,  a  machine  shop,  etc.  The  furnace  is 
42  by  1 20  inches  in  size.     The  furnace  charge  usually  consists 


CHiTi-:  hi-;t\vi;i:n  tinnki.s  nos.  2  and  a.  hi.kctric  r(»\vi;K  ikusk,  and 

TIMHKK    SIIi;i)S,    Hn.I.V    Mil, I.    MINKS. 


VIKW   OK   ini-I.V    nil, I,   SMKI.TKR   T'ROM    MolTH  >)I"   No.   :'.   TINNKL. 

(79) 


80  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

of  about  one  half  raw  and  one  half  calcined  ore,  the  percentages 
varying  with  the  nature  of  the  ore.  The  charge  carries  H  to 
ID  per  cent  coke,  2  to  3  per  cent  limestone,  i  to  i}4  per  cent 
ironstone,  and  the  balance  ore.  Limestone  and  ironstone  for 
fluxing  are  obtained  on  the  McCloud  River  about  six  miles 
distant.  Sufficient  silica  is  obtained  from  the  mine.  The 
furnace  produces  a  matte  carrying  from  35  to  55  per  cent 
copper,  which  is  taken  directly  to  the  converters  in  a  ladle 
handled  by  an  electric  crane  having  a  capacity  of  20  tons. 
The  converters  are  68  by  98  inches  in  size,  and  have  a  capacity 
of  5  tons.  The  product  of  the  converters  is  blister  copper, 
about  98  per  cent  fine,  which  is  cast  into  large  rectangular 
slabs  for  shipment  to  the  new  refiner}-  built  by  Captain  De  La 
Mar  on  Kill  von  Kull,  near  New  York  City.  Mining  and 
reduction  costs,  values,  and  output  are  not  o])tainable.  The 
capacity  of  the  smelting  plant  is  about  150  tons  a  day.  The 
smelter  is  arranged  on  the  terrace  system,  and  throughout  the 
process  the  material  is  economically  handled  by  the  aid  of 
gravity. 

The  Bully  Hill  Mining  and  vSmelting  Company  has  pur- 
chased and  bonded  other  properties  on  the  belt,  and  it  is 
reported  that  its  plans  include  a  large  expansion  of  its  scale  of 
operations.  Its  most  important  additional  property  is  the  old 
Baxter  and  Winthrop  group  near  Copper  City.  This  property 
ranks  fourth  along  the  whole  belt  in  the  amount  of  develop- 
ment, and  as  soon  as  railroad  connection  with  the  smelter 
makes  the  economical  transportation  of  the  ore  possible, 
active  operations  on  these  properties  will  be  resumed. 

OTHER  PROPERTIES. 

The  remaining  properties  of  the  copper  belt  are  noted 
successively,  beginning  at  the  western  end. 

Mineral  Mountain. — This  property  consists  of  six  unpat- 
ented claims  about  three  miles  south  of  Iron  Mountain,  in 
Sec.  13,  T.  32  N.,  R.  6  W.,  and  is  thought  to  mark  the  south- 
western terminus  of  the  belt.  No  other  mining  claims  carrj'- 
ing  copper  deposits  worthy  of  any  note  are  known  to  exist 
south  of  the  Mountain  Copper  mine  in  Iron  Mountain.  The 
Mineral  Mountain  group  is  owned  by  D.  T.  Callahan  et  al., 


SHASTA    COUNTY — COPPKR    MINKS    AND   CLAIMS.  81 

and  about  200  feet  of  tunnel  shows  sulphide  ore.     There  are 
surface  indications  of  other  l)odies. 

Sugar  Loaf  (Galvin)  Group. — This  property  is  located 
immediately  northeast  of  the  holdings  of  the  Mountain  Copper 
Company,  and  shows  the  first  prominent  outcrop  on  the  belt 
after  leaving  the  Iron  Mountain  mines.  The  property  consists 
of  fourteen  claims  located  in  Sec.  26,  T.  33  N.,  R.  6  \V.  Sugar 
Loaf  Mountain,  which  is  covered  by  these  locations,  is  one  of 
the  most  prominent  landmarks  of  the  copper  belt.  The  forma- 
tion is  the  same  as  that  encountered  elsewhere  on  the  belt. 
Large  cappings  of  gos.san  indicate  the  presence  of  ore  bodies 
in  the  rhyolitic  rock,  the  main  outcrop  being  over  400  feet  wide. 
The  property  has  been  developed  by  a  .series  of  tunnels  aggre- 
gating 1300  feet  in  length.  The  main  development  is  on  the 
north  slope,  where  sulphide  ore  of  a  good  grade  has  been 
encountered.  On  the  southerly  slope  a  tunnel  200  feet  in 
length  is  near  its  objective  point.  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain 
undoubtedly  contains  large  bodies  of  sulphide  ore.  It  is 
situated  directl)'  on  the  main  copper  belt  and  the  surface 
indications  are  very  extensive.     C.  D.  Galvin,  owner. 

King  Copper  Group. — The  King  Copper  group,  consisting 
of  twenty-two  claims  in  Sees.  23,  24,  25,  and  26,  T.  33  N., 
R.  6  W.,  adjoins  the  Sugar  Loaf  on  the  northeast  and  is  the 
property  of  the  Trinity  Copper  Company.  It  is  located  two 
and  a  half  miles  south  of  the  Shasta  King,  the  main  Trinity 
Copper  Company  holding.  The  development  so  far  done  con- 
sists mainly  of  assessment  work  and  approximates  1000  feet 
of  openings  in  the  aggregate.  No  ore  in  place  has  been 
developed  as  yet. 

Jumping- Jack. —  Five  claims  adjoining  the  King  Copper 
on  the  east,  in  vSecs.  24  and  25,  T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W.,  owned  by 
William  Kendrick,  of  Copley.     No  development. 

Giant  Consolidated. — Thirteen  claims  on  the  eastern  edge 
of  this  part  of  the  belt,  north  of  the  Jumping-Jack,  in  Sec.  24, 
T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W.,  and  Sec.  19,  T.  33  N.,  R.  5  W.  Little 
development.  Owned  by  \V  H.  Soderberg  et  al.,  San 
Francisco. 

King, — Four  claims  in  Sec.  24,  T.  33  X.,   R.  6  W.;  owned 
by  J.  R.  King,  of  Copley.     No  development. 
6— BuL.  23 


82  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

United  Copper. — Eighteen  unpatented  claims  in  Sec.  23, 
T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W.,  adjoining  the  King  Copper  on  the  north 
and  west.  Development  consists  of  only  50  feet  of  openings. 
Owned  by  Fred  Grotefend  et  al.,  Redding. 

Webster  Consolidated  (Stowell)  Group. — The  Webster 
Consolidated,  or  Stowell,  group  consists  of  seven  patented  and 
three  unpatented  claims,  located  in  Sec.  14,  T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W. 
The  property  is  one  of  the  older  mines  on  the  West  Side  belt 
and  is  about  three  and  a  half  miles  northeast  of  Iron  Moun- 
tain. The  development  consists  of  a  series  of  short  cross-cut 
tunnels  aggregating  500  to  600  feet  in  all,  none  of  which  has 
reached  the  objective  point.  The  main  cross-cut  is  about  80 
feet  in  length.  This  has  been  extended  some  under  bond,  but 
the  vein  has  not  been  reached.  The  work  is  distributed  over 
the  various  claims,  and  while  the  surface  indications  are  strong, 
the  fact  that  exploration  was  not  concentrated  at  one  point 
leaves  the  property  as  yet  in  practically  a  prospective  position. 
The  J.  H.  Stowell  Estate,  owner. 

Waters  Group. — The  Waters  group  is  located  in  Sec.  14, 
T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W.,  and  consists  of  four  claims.  They  adjoin 
the  Webster  Consolidated  on  the  south,  and  .some  of  the 
development  work  done  was  intended  to  reach  the  vein  on  the 
neighboring  property'  at  greater  depth.  Its  location  is  such 
that  it  will  prove  of  value  to  the  adjoining  holdings  and  when 
developed  the  properties  will  probably  be  operated  as  one  mine, 
ly.  Waters  and  E.  A.  Marshall,  of  Redding,  owners. 

Spread  Eagle. — Twenty-two  unpatented  claims  in  vSec.  13, 
T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W.;  owned  by  W.  C.  Onn  &  Sons,  of  Copley. 
About  1500  feet  of  tunnels,  mainh'  driven  by  the  Scottish- 
American  Syndicate,  of  Denver,  Col.,  under  bond,  show  con- 
siderable bodies  of  ore,  including  some  of  excellent  grade. 
The  country  rock  is  heavil}'  charged  with  sulphides. 

Loraine. — Twenty-two  claims  adjoining  the  Spread  Eagle 
on  the  northeast,  in  Sees.  7  and  18,  T.  33  N.,  R.  5  W.;  owned 
by  J.  R.  Doyle  et  al.,  of  Copley.     No  development. 

Shasta  King. — The  Shasta  King  mine  constitutes  the 
principal  holding  of  the  Trinity  Copper  Company,  and  is 
located  in  Sec.  12,  T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W.  The  main  portion  of  the 
property  consists  of  twelve  patented  claims,  but  the  company 


(83) 


84  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

owns  a  large  area  of  adjoining  land  in  addition.  The  Trinity 
Copper  Company  is  a  Boston  corporation  (Thomas  W.  Lawson, 
president),  and  is  capitalized  for  $6,000,000.  It  acquired  the 
Shasta  King  mine  toward  the  close  of  the  year  1900,  and 
early  in  the  following  year  commenced  development  work  on 
a  large  scale.  The  property  was  developed  under  bond  for  a 
year  and  a  half  prior  to  its  purchase  by  the  Trinity  Copper 
Company,  and  at  the  time  that  it  was  acquired  it  is  estimated 
that  1,200,000  tons  of  ore  were  opened  up  in  the  mine,  which 
returned  an  average  of  5  per  cent  copper  and  about  $2.50  to 
$3  in  gold  and  silver.  The  measurements  have  been  consider- 
ably added  to  since.  The  property  is  opened  up  mainly  by 
tunnel  levels,  aggregating  at  the  present  time  fully  4000  feet 
in  length.  A  series  of  tunnels  cross-cut  the  ore  body  on  the 
main  level  for  a  distance  of  1000  feet  around  the  mountain 
side,  and  these  have  been  connected  by  drifts  along  the  foot 
wall.  A  lower  level  is  being  driven  (which  will  be  utilized  as 
the  main  working  tunnel)  175  feet  below  the  present  main 
developments.  This  tunnel  is  7  by  8  feet  in  size  and  double 
tracked.  The  surface  improvements  at  the  mine  consist  of 
the  necessary  buildings  for  the  use  of  the  miners,  offices,  store, 
postoffice,  etc.  Power  drills  are  used,  and  a  6-drill  air-com- 
pressor is  part  of  the  mine  equipment.  Considerable  prospect- 
ing on  unproved  ground  by  means  of  a  diamond  drill  has 
been  prosecuted  by  the  company.  The  headquarters  building 
for  the  company  is  located  at  Kennet,  near  the  smelter  site. 
The  site  selected  is  in  Sec.  3,  T.  34  N.,  R.  5  W.,  on  Backbone 
Creek,  distant  about  eight  miles  by  railroad  from  the  mines. 
Grading  on  the  site  has  been  in  progress  and  the  railroad 
grade  for  a  spur  connecting  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad 
is  now  being  put  in.  The  reduction  plant  will  be  from  500  to 
700  tons  daily  capacity.  The  Shasta  King  mine  is  located  on 
the  south  fork  of  Squaw  Creek  and  directly  adjoins  the  Balak- 
lala  holdings.  Its  main  workings  are  the  lowest  in  altitude 
so  far  developed  on  the  West  Side  copper  belt.  Austin  H. 
Brown  is  general  manager  for  the  company. 

Balaklala  Mine. — The  Balaklala  mine  at  present  shows 
the  largest  body  of  ore  available  in  any  one  property  on  the 
copper  belt  of  Shasta  County,  and  prospecting  done  by  means 
of  the  diamond  drill  indicates  the  possibility  that  it  will  develop 


(m 


86  THE   COPPER   RESOURCES  OF   CALIFORNIA. 

one  of  the  largest  ore  bodies  of  its  kind  on  the  American 
continent.  The  property  consists  of  twenty-six  claims,  thirteen 
of  which  are  patented,  lying  mainly  in  Sees.  12,  13,  and  14, 
T.  33  N.,  R.  6  W.  Adjoining  ground  will  bring  the  total 
number  of  claims  held  by  the  Balaklala  Mining  Company  up 
to  sixt}'  or  more.  The  work  has  been  done  principally  upon 
five  claims  from  Huckleberry  claim  southwest  to  Windy  Camp. 
The  outcrop  can  be  traced  along  this  line  for  fully  one  and  a 
half  miles,  and  gives  evidence  of  the  magnitude  of  the  lode 
for  the  entire  distance.  The  greatest  reserves  of  ore  at  present 
exposed  are  on  the  El  Capitan  claim.  The  main  level,  400 
feet  below  the  apex,  shows  a  thickness  of  from  60  to  100  feet. 
The  dip  of  the  lode  is  with  the  mountain  to  the  northwest, 
and  at  the  point  where  the  greatest  development  work  has 
been  done  the  lode  has  been  laid  bare  by  erosion.  As  a  result 
the  copper  values  have  been  leached  from  it  to  a  great  extent, 
leaving  the  ore  low  grade  in  copper.  On  the  strike  of  the  lode 
where  this  condition  does  not  prevail  the  ore  has  increased  in 
value  until  it  can  be  termed  a  good  grade.  Diamond  drill 
holes  have  extended  the  zone  of  known  deposit  for  fully  3000 
feet,  and  this  method  of  prospecting  has  added  to  the  depth 
shown  by  open  work,  showing  the  body  to  extend  on  its  dip  at 
least  1000  feet.  Its  limits  have  not  been  determined  either  on 
the  dip  or  on  the  strike,  and  as  exploration  work  progresses, 
the  magnitude  of  the  ore  body  is  revealed.  The  diamond 
drill  has  also  disclosed  a  •  second  deposit  or  lens  of  ore  about 
100  feet  deeper  than  the  first.  This  ore  bod}^  shows  a  marked 
advance  in  grade.  It  is  estimated  that  fully  2,000,000  tons  of 
ore  are  now  available,  and  it  has  been  stated  that  the  Balak- 
lala mine  could  be  made  to  show  several  million  tons  of  ore 
reserves  at  no  great  cost  for  development.  A  total  of  3500  feet 
of  cross-cuts  and  drifts  constitutes  the  development  work  so  far 
done.  C.  A.  Malm,  of  No.  222  Bush  Street,  San  Francisco,  is 
president  of  the  company. 

Ohio  Consolidated. — Patented  claims  in  Sec.  12,  T.  33  N., 
R.  6  W. ;  owned  by  Morton  &  Bliss,  New  York.  No  develop- 
ment. 

Friday  &  Lowden  Group. — The  Friday  &  Lowden  group 
consists  of  thirteen  claims,  located  in  Sees.  5  and  6,  T.  33  N., 
R.  5  W.,  and  also  that  portion  of  the  N.  W.  %  of  Sec.  5  and 
the  N.  3^  of  the  S.  W.  %  of  Sec.  5  not  included  in  the  mineral 


SHASTA    COUNTY — COPPER    MINES   AND   CLAIMS.  87 

locations.  This  part  of  the  land  is  patented.  This  group  of 
claims  is  the  first  encountered  on  the  copper  belt  on  the  north 
side  of  Squaw  Creek,  and  is  directly  east  of  the  gold  belt  in 
which  the  Uncle  Sam  mine  is  located.  The  geological  con- 
ditions, however,  are  similar  to  the  conditions  encountered  in 
other  parts  of  the  copper  territory.  The  mine  is  opened  mainly 
by  means  of  tunnels.  A  cro.ss-cut  tunnel  driven  on  the  north- 
erly end  of  the  group,  on  the  Cleveland  claim,  is  in  140  feet, 
and  70  feet  of  this  opening  is  in  ore.  A  second  tunnel  has 
been  started  175  feet  deeper,  which  is  now  in  70  feet  from  the 
surface.  On  the  Wild  Bear  claim  easterly  from  the  main 
development  a  70-foot  tunnel  discloses  considerable  ore,  and  a 
shorter  tunnel  250  feet  farther  along  the  strike  is  also  in  ore. 
On  the  common  end  line  of  the  Wild  Bear  and  Comstock 
claims  a  tunnel  65  feet  in  length  shows  some  sulphide,  after 
penetrating  the  gossan  or  oxidized  ore,  the  latter  prospecting 
in  free  gold.  The  total  tunnel  openings  aggregate  fully 
800  feet  in  length.  The  strike  is  northeast  and  southwest,  and 
the  croppings  occur  at  an  altitude  of  about  2000  feet.  Messrs. 
Friday  and  Lowden,  of  Redding,  owners. 

Mammoth  Mine. — The  Mammoth  holdings  include  twelve 
claims  and  a  patented  section.  The  twelve  claims  are  located 
in  Sec.  32,  T.  34  X.,  R.  5  W.,  and  the  patented  section  (29, 
same  township  and  range)  is  located  immediately  to  the  north. 
This  property  is  in  the  Backbone  district,  which  at  present  con- 
stitutes the  most  northerly  portion  of  the  copper  belt  so  far 
proved.  It  is  about  four  miles  northwest  of  Kennet  and  on 
the  line  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad.  The  development 
up  to  the  present  has  centered  mainly  on  sections  32  and  16. 
Different  tunnels  of  varying  length  have  been  driven.  Some 
of  these  have  reached  ore  and  work  on  lower  levels  is  now  in 
progress.  These  tunnels  aggregate  1400  feet.  The  main 
development  of  ore  is  at  a  depth  of  75  feet,  and  a  winze  sunk 
from  this  level  to  a  depth  of  62  feet  is  in  ore  all  the  way.  A 
tunnel  is  now  being  driven  to  cut  the  ore  body  15  feet  lower 
than  the  bottom  of  the  winze.  Drifts  on  the  main  level  dis- 
close a  large  amount  of  ore  to  that  depth.  A  width  of  about 
80  feet  is  shown  and  the  ore  body  has  been  developed  190  feet 
on  its  strike.  Explorations  on  a  large  scale  have  recently  been 
started  on  section  29  about  a  half  mile  from  the  main  developed 


88  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

portion  of  the  ground.  The  outcrop  here  indicates  a  large 
body  of  ore,  the  gossan  showing  a  width  of  200  feet  and  a 
length  of  800  feet.  A  force  of  about  25  men  is  at  present 
employed.  The  ground  is  being  developed  under  the  direction 
of  John  Fillins,  by  a  Boston  exploration  company.  R.  M. 
Saeltzer  et  al.,  of  Redding,  owners. 

Mayflower. — Six  unpatented  claims  in  Sec.  32,  T.  34  N., 
R.  5  W.;  owned  by  C.  G.  Ferguson  and  B.  Golinsky,  of  Kennet. 
A  little  development  work  has  shown  some  high-grade  ore. 

Bohematosh. — Seven  claims  in  Sec.  25,  T.  33  X.,  R.  6  W.; 
owned  by  Walter  Friday  and  J.  R.  Lowden.  Disseminated 
sulphides  are  abundant,  with  extensive  croppings  of  gossan. 
This  is  several  miles  north  of  the  definite  limits  of  the  belt 
proper. 

Summit  Group. — The  Summit  group  of  mines  is  located  on 
Behamatosh  Mountain  at  the  head  of  Little  Backbone  Creek, 
in  Sec.  30,  T.  34  N.,  R.  5  W.,  at  an  altitude  of  about  3000  feet. 
It  immediately  adjoins  the  Mammoth  holdings  and  consists  of 
eight  claims,  lying  on  the  ridge  between  the  north  and  south 
forks  of  Little  Backbone  Creek  on  the  easterly  slope  of  the 
mountain.  The  ground  is  very  regular,  the  formation  being 
the  same  in  character  as  the  more  southerly  parts  of  the  belt. 
The  country  rock  is  heavily  mineralized  and  the  surface  indica- 
tions are  very  pronounced  in  this  part  of  the  belt.  The  strike 
of  the  ore  body  can  be  readily  traced  around  the  mountain  side 
for  fully  2400  feet.  Two  tunnels  have  been  driven,  one  on  the 
northeasterly  and  the  other  on  the  southerly  portion  of  the 
ground  about  1600  feet  apart.  Tunnel  No.  i  is  in  140  feet  and 
has  reached  ore  at  a  depth  of  80  or  90  feet.  Prospect  shafts 
sunk  on  the  croppings  above  the  face  of  this  tunnel  indicate  a 
width  of  at  least  35  feet.  At  a  depth  of  20  feet  in  the  shaft, 
ore  reported  to  assay  8  per  cent  was  encountered,  and  the  sul- 
phide ores  encountered  in  the  tunnel  below  this  shaft  show 
values  reported  at  from  6  to  14^  per  cent  copper.  The  first 
90  feet  of  Tunnel  No.  i  was  driven  through  a  secondary 
deposition  caused  by  leaching  of  the  ore  body.  This  carried 
some  value  throughout.  The  next  50  feet  passed  through  a 
quartzite  foot  wall  intersected  by  numerous  seams  bearing  sul- 
phide ore  varying  from  a  few  inches  to  a  foot  and  a  half  in 
width.     Between  the  foot  wall  and  the  solid  sulphide  body  a 


(89> 


90  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

breccia  carrying  a  high  percentage  of  copper  sulphide  was 
encountered.  Tunnel  No.  2,  1600  feet  to  the  southwest,  is  in  75 
feet,  but  has  not  yet  reached  the  ore  as  exposed  by  the  prospect 
shaft  on  the  line  of  outcrop.  Native  copper  is  found  in  the 
seams  formed  in  the  foot  wall.  The  Summit  mine  is  being 
developed  under  bond  by  the  Mount  Shasta  Gold  Mines  Cor- 
poration of  Chicago;  Frank  E.  Ware,  general  manager; 
M.  E.  Dittmar  et  al.,  of  Redding,  owners. 

Ferguson  &  Limbough. — This  group,  in  Sec.  4,  T.  33  N., 
R.  5  W.,  is  developed  by  165  feet  of  tunnels  showing  some  ore. 

Great  Verde. — Eleven  claims  in  Sees.  11  and  12,  T.  33  N., 
R.  6  W. ;  owned  by  John  -R.  Lisle  et  al.,  of  Redding.  Two  hun- 
dred feet  of  tunnels  open  into  an  ore  body  of  undetermined 
extent.     The  gossan  outcrop  is  60  to  80  feet  wide. 

Graves  Group. — Immediately  to  the  south  of  the  Summit 
group  is  located  the  Graves  group  of  mines,  owned  by  R.  M. 
Saeltzer  et  al.,  of  Redding.  This  property  has  been  bonded  by 
M.  E.  Dittmar  and  is  included  in  the  bond  which  the  Mount 
Shasta  Gold  Mines  Corporation  holds  on  the  Summit  group. 
Development  consists  of  assessment  work,  and  at  the  present 
time  all  exploratory  work  is  being  concentrated  on  the  Summit 
claims  adjoining.     M.  E.  Dittmar  is  superintendent. 

Golinsky. — Twelve  unpatented  claims,  located  mainly  in 
Sec.  28,  T.  34  N.,  R.  5  W.;  owned  by  B.  Golinsky,  of  Kennet. 
About  750  feet  of  openings  show  ore  of  some  value.  The  prin- 
cipal known  shoot  is  said  to  have  a  width  of  30  feet. 

Keystone. — Six  unpatented  claims  in  Sec.  23,  T.  33  N., 
R.  6  W.,  north  of  the  belt  proper.  Only  assessment  work  has 
been  done.     Owners,  Charles  Butler  et  al. 

The  foregoing  properties  are  those  worthy  of  present  note  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Sacramento  River,  and  embrace  the  groups 
of  claims  ranged  for  about  twelve  miles  along  the  western  end 
of  the  belt  northeasterly  from  Iron  Mountain.  On  the  east 
side  of  the  Sacramento  River  the  belt  includes  the  following 
properties: 

Gregory  &  Whalen. — Also  known  as  the  Oom  Paul  group. 
Undeveloped  claims  showing  gossan  croppings  30  to  40  feet 
wide,  situated  on  the  Sacramento  River,  a  few  miles  north  of 
Kennet,  in  Sec.  25,  T.  35  N.,  R.  5  W.     Small  development. 


■T. 

y. 


(91) 


92  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Shasta  May  Blossom  Group. — Known  as  the  Keith  group. 
This  property  comprises  eight  claims  in  Sec.  14,  T.  34  X.,  R.  3  \V. 
The  development  work  is  mostly  superficial,  and  made  to  deter- 
mine where  the  ore  body  lies.  There  are  several  open  cuts  and 
short  tunnels.  The  present  development  consists  of  three 
tunnels,  besides  some  open  cuts.  The  lower  tunnel  is  in  about 
70  feet,  and  follows  the  ore  body,  which  is  a  low-grade  iron 
sulphide  carrying  very  little  copper.  The  vein  matter  is  a  spar. 
The  east  or  foot  wall  is  a  gray  schistose  rock;  the  west,  or 
hanging,  is  a  gray  porphyry.  The  ore  channel  is  about  50  feet 
wide.  The  next  higher  tunnel  starts  on  the  lower  end  of  the 
Copper  King  claim,  and  runs  to  the  northwest  90  feet  through 
the  wall  rock.  Its  face  shows  decomposed  ore  material  of  little 
value.  Twenty  feet  of  it  is  in  the  ore  channel.  The  ore  is 
decomposed,  and  carries  some  gold.  Higher  up  the  hillside 
there  is  a  body  of  gossan  croppings,  probably  70  feet  wide.  A 
new  tunnel  to  get  under  these  croppings  has  been  commenced, 
but  has  not  yet  reached  the  ore  channel.  The  croppings  on  top 
of  the  hill  near  the  north  end  of  the  gossan  croppings  are  of  the 
same  character  as  the  west  wall  of  Bully  Hill,  meta-rhyolitic 
porphyn,-.  The  top  of  the  mountain  is  capped  with  the  rhyolite. 
Below  it,  and  dipping  to  the  east,  are  the  gossans. 

Brushy  Canyon  Group. — Consisting  of  a  number  of 
claims,  not  patented,  located  in  Sec.  34,  T.  34  N.,  R.  3  W.,  and 
is  owned  by  E.  L.  Blowers,  James  Drennan,  and  others.  The 
group  is  under  bond  by  the  Bully  Hill  Company,  and  a  small 
force  of  men  is  employed.  The  claims  are  developed  by  a  few 
cuts,  tunnels,  and  a  shaft  80  feet  deep.  A  large  body  of 
limonite  ore  (gossan)  has  been  proved,  but  comparatively  little 
sulphide. 

DoedoUis  Group. — Consists  of  five  unpatented  claims 
located  in  Sec.  34,  T.  34  N.,  R.  3  W.,  and  is  owned  by  William 
Ellis,  J.  L.  Cannon,  and  others.  Comparatively  little  work 
done  at  present. 

Afterthought. — Consists  essentially  of  four  claims,  only 
two  of  which  are  patented,  all  located  in  Sec.  11,  T.  33  N., 
R.  2  \V.  It  is  owned  by  the  Afterthought  Mining  Company. 
It  has  been  recently  worked  under  a  bond  by  the  Tarbet  Syn- 
dicate. The  development  of  the  mine  consists  of  seven  tun- 
nels, aggregating  nearly  2000  feet,  and  a  shaft  250  feet  deep. 


SHASTA    COrXTV — COPPER    MINKS   AND   CLAIMS.  93 

A  large  body  of  sulphide  ore  has  been  proved  by  this  work,  some 
of  which  is  high  in  its  percentage  of  copper,  though  mostly  of 
lower  grade. 

Donkey  Mine. — Consists  of  one  patented  claim  in  vSec.  ii, 
T.  33  X..  R.  2  \\'.;  owned  by  the  Tehama  Mining  Company, 
of  Red  BlutT,  C.  J.  Gooch  president.  This  mine  has  not  been 
worked  for  many  years,  but  has  been  developed  by  a  shaft  200 
feet  deep  and  considerable  drifting.  There  is  in  sight  a  good 
body  of  ore  of  good  grade,  carrying  some  blende.  It  is  thought 
to  be  a  continuation  of  the  Afterthought. 

Schmidt's  Claim. — One  claim  near  the  Kosk  Creek  group; 
owned  by  Charles  Schmidt.  Some  work  has  been  done, 
showing  sulphide  ore.     The  vein  is  said  to  be  10  feet  in  width. 

Chattadown  Group. — Consists  of  an  uncertain  number  of 
claims  situated  near  the  headwaters  of  Chattadown  Creek, 
some  twenty  miles  north  of  Baird,  east  of  the  McCloud  River; 
owned  by  Edward  Sweeney,  Reed  Bemis,  and  others.  Some 
showing  of  gossan  on  surface  and  some  work  done  showing 
sulphides,  etc. 

Kosk  Creek  Group. — Consists  of  twelve  claims  situated 
in  Sec.  23,  T.  37  N.,  R.  i  W.,  a  number  of  miles  north  of  the 
copper  belt;  owned  by  William  M.  Murraj',  R.  M.  Saeltzer, 
and  others.  Only  little  developed.  Bonded  by  W.  G.  Scott 
and  associates  of  San  Francisco.  This  group  is  especially 
interesting,  from  the  fact  that  the  ore  is  a  dark  basaltic  rock 
carrying  native  copper.  The  copper  occurs  in  globules  and 
films  in  the  joints  and  vesicles  of  the  rock.  The  ore  is  said  to 
carry  some  gold.  The  zone  of  rock  carrying  copper  is  said  to 
have  a  width  of  200  feet.  Native  metal  occurs  only  near  the 
surface;  with  greater  depth,  sulphides  are  found. 

Hartford  Group. — Consists  of  ten  claims,  three  miles  north 
of  the  mouth  of  I'rotem  Creek,  vShasta  County;  owned  by  the 
Hartford  Consolidated  Mining  Company,  W'm.  Geary  presi- 
dent and  J.  B.  Giffen  secretary.  More  than  400  feet  of  tunnels 
have  been  completed,  proving  some  good  sulphide  ore,  but  at 
present  onlj'  in  limited  quantity.  The  lode  is  said  to  have  a 
width  of  8  feet  or  more,  and  to  appear  along  the  surface  for  a 
distance  of  more  than  100  feet.  The  surface  ores  are  oxides 
and  carbonates. 


94  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Cowboy  Group. — Consists  of  three  claims  in  Sec.  4, 
T.  33  N..  R.  2  W.;  owned  by  H.  A.  Cook  et  al.,  San  Fran- 
cisco. This  property  has  good  surface  indications.  Over  200 
feet  of  tunnels  have  been  completed,  and  good  sulphide  ore 
has  been  found.  The  property  includes,  in  addition  to  the 
claims  above  mentioned,  160  acres  of  land  in  section  9  of  the 
same  township. 

Black  Diamond  Group. — The  Black  Diamond  group,  con- 
sisting of  a  half  section  of  land  and  eighteen  claims  located  in 
Sees.  2  and  3,  T.  33  N.,  R.  4  W.,  in  the  Stillwater  mining 
district,  is  the  property  of  the  Northern  California  Investment 
Company.  A  great  deal  of  development  work  has  been  done, 
but  the  ore  so  far  reached  has  been  low  grade  in  character  and 
the  ground  is  as  yet  in  a  practically  undeveloped  condition. 
A  body  of  ore  of  a  reported  value  of  8  per  cent  copper  was 
encountered  several  months  ago,  but  since  that  time  develop- 
ment has  been  discontinued  and  the  value  of  the  strike 
remains  undetermined.  In  addition  to  the  Black  Diamond 
holdings,  the  company  holds  between  4000  and  5000  acres  of 
patented  land  located  in  the  Bully  Hill  region  and  in  the 
district  to  the  southeast.  George  Bayha,  the  vice-president  of 
the  company,  is  in  charge  of  the  property.  The  company 
expects  to  commence  exploratory  work  on  a  more  extensive 
scale  in  the  near  future  in  order  to  determine  the  value  of  its 
holdings. 

Roseman  Group.— The  Roseman  group  consists  of  nine 
claims  and  a  smelter  site,  located  in  Sec.  3,  T.  33  N.,  and 
Sec.  34,  T.  34  N.,  R.  4  W.  The  ore  is  a  carbonate  and  oxide 
near  the  surface,  changing  to  sulphide  with  depth.  The  for- 
mation has  nothing  in  common  with  either  the  West  Side  district 
or  that  of  Bully  Hill.  The  ore  occurs  in  or  near  the  lime 
deposit,  the  foot  wall  apparently  being  in  serpentine.  The 
development  is  mainly  along  the  outcrop  and  the  greatest 
depth  on  the  vein  attains  about  60  feet.  The  main  cross-cut 
from  the  foot  wall  toward  the  hanging  wall  is  in  55  feet.  At 
another  point  a  40-foot  cross-cut  has  been  driven  toward  the 
hanging  wall,  but  neither  opening  has  disclosed  the  vein 
as  yet.  The  vein  matter  through  which  these  openings  extend 
is  well  mineralized.  In  the  aggregate  700  feet  of  tunnel  and 
200  feet  of  shafts  and  winzes  constitute  the  development  work. 


SHASTA    COrXTY — COPPKR    MIXKS   AND   CLAIMS.  95 

A  lower  cross-cut  has  been  started  which  will  provide  400 
feet  of  depth.  The  o]>jective  point  is  600  feet  in,  and  of  this 
120  feet  has  been  completed.  H.  Rosemau  et  al.,  of  Redding, 
owners. 

Jaegel. — Consists  of  seven  claims  in  vSec.  3,  T.  33  N., 
R.  4  \\'.;  owned  by  Joseph  Jaegel.  Only  a  small  amount 
of  development  work  has  yet  been  done. 

Memorial. — Eleven  claims  of  unpatented  ground  in  vSecs.  15 
and  22,  T.  33  X..  R.  4  \V.;  owned  chiefly  by  H.  M.  LeBaron 
and  others,  of  Redding.  A  small  force  of  men  has  been 
employed  prospecting  this  ground,  and  .some  sulphide  ore  has 
been  found. 

Michigan  Group. — The  Michigan  group  of  mines,  consist- 
ing of  six  claims  adjoining  the  Recorder  claim  of  the  McClure 
group  on  the  south  and  west  and  De  La  Mar's  property  on  the 
west,  was  recently  acquired  by  the  Mount  Shasta  Gold  Mines 
Corporation,  and  will  now  be  developed  with  the  McClure 
group.  This  ground  is  located  mainly  on  the  south  and  west 
slopes  of  Bully  Hill  and  is  crossed  by  one  of  the  Bully  Hill 
lodes.  The  principal  outcrop  of  the  Bully  Hill  lodes  is  on  the 
common  end  line  of  the  Recorder  and  the  Ydalpom  claims,  the 
latter  being  one  of  the  claims  that  form  the  Michigan  group. 
The  development  work  consi.sts  chiefly  of  tunnels  and  drifts. 
Some  very  high-grade  ore  has  been  encountered  in  the  work- 
ings, but  the  explorations  have  as  yet  not  reached  a  point 
under  the  main  croppings.  A  shaft  sunk  on  the  North  vStar 
claim  disclosed  some  very  good  sulphide  ore.  The  Mount 
Shasta  Gold  Mines  Corporation  recently  acquired  an  option  on 
80  acres  of  land  adjoining  the  Bully  Hill  smelter  site,  which 
will  probably  be  used  as  a  site  for  the  proposed  reduction 
works  in  the  Bully  Hill  district.  \V.  F.  Russell  is  in  charge 
of  developments. 

Northern  Light. — One  claim,  unpatented,  in  Sec.  2 1 ,  T.  34  N., 
R.  3  W.;  owned  by  the  Bully  Hill  Company.  Considerable 
development  work  has  been  done  on  this  ground,  and  good 
bodies  of  sulphide  ores  similar  in  character  to  other  deposits  in 
this  district  have  been  discovered. 

Excelsior. — A  group  of  five  claims,  two  of  which  are 
patented,  located  in  Sees.  21  and  2S,  T.  34  X.,  R.  3  W. ;  owned 


96  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

by  the  Bull}'  Hill  Gold  Mining  and  Smelting  Company.  A 
considerable  force  of  men  was  employed  in  development  work 
upon  the  Ivxcelsior,  South  Killinger,  and  Baxter  claims, 
including  what  are  known  as  the  Baxter  and  Winthrop 
tunnels.  The  lowest  tunnel  is  the  Winthrop,  which  has  been 
driven  for  a  distance  of  850  feet,  and  it  is  expected  that  it  will 
cross-cut  the  Baxter- Excelsior  ore  bodies.  In  the  Excelsior 
tunnels  a  body  of  solid  sulphide  ore  has  been  exposed,  more 
than  20  feet  in  thickness,  but  probably  high  in  its  percentage 
of  zinc. 

Arps. — Fifteen  claims,  in  Sees.  20,  21,  28,  and  29,  T.  34  N., 
R,  3  W. ;  owned  by  William  Arps,  R.  M.  Saeltzer,  and  others, 
of  Redding.  This  property  is  now  being  developed  under  bond 
by  H.  M.  Hall.  Good  sulphide  ores  have  been  found  in 
numerous  places.     Four  tunnels  aggregate  1600  feet. 

McClure,  or  Pioneer,  Group. — This  property  is  located 
principally  in  Sec.  16,  T.  34  N.,  R.  3  W.,  and  adjoins  the  De 
Ea  Mar  mine  on  the  northeast.  It  includes  a  quarter-section 
of  patented  land  and  six  claims.  The  most  important  claim, 
the  Recorder,  lies  on  Bully  Hill  immediately  adjoining  the 
De  Ea  Mar  holdings,  and  is  on  the  strike  of  the  De  Ea  Mar 
lode.  The  development  work  on  several  levels  of  De  Ea  Mar's 
Bully  Hill  mines  has  been  carried  practically  to  the  Recorder 
claim.  The  principal  development  work  on  the  Recorder 
claim  consists  of  a  cross-cut  tunnel,  which  was  started  by  the 
pioneer  owner  of  the  property,  H.  C.  McClure,  and  this  tunnel 
has  been  continued  by  the  Mount  Shasta  Gold  Mines  Corpora- 
tion, which  is  now  developing  the  mine.  Ore  has  been  reached 
in  this  tunnel.  The  ore,  like  that  of  its  famous  neighbor,  is 
high  grade  and  carries  good  values  in  gold,  silver,  and  copper. 
Where  the  outcrop  crosses  the  McClure  ground,  recent  explora- 
tions have  disclosed  a  lode  of  great  width,  and  from  present 
indications  a  second  property  of  magnitude  on  Bully  Hill  is  a 
certainty. 

Ydalpom. — Consists  of  two  unpatented  claims  in  Sec.  16, 
T.  34  N.,  R.  3  W.;  owned  by  T.  M.  Popejoy  and  others,  of 
Copper  City.  The.se  claims  are  now  under  bond  by  the  Bully 
Hill  Company,  and  development  work  is  in  progress,  with  good 
ore  bodies  proved. 


a)AST  RANliE  DEPOSITS 


The  Coast  Range  of  California  presents  a  copper  field  of 
very  large  area,  but  one  that,  through  lack  of  exploration, 
development,  and  production,  is  of  minor  present  importance 
compared  with  the  copper  l)elts  of  Shasta  County  and  the 
vSierra  Nevada  foothills.  The  Coast  Range  ( properly  the  Coast 
Ranges)  of  California  consists  of  a  group,  or  series,  of  ranges 
stretching  for  over  500  miles  southward  from  Oregon  along  the 
coast  of  the  State  and  having  an  average  width  of  about  40 
miles.  Topographically,  the  Coast  Range  is  relatively  low,  is 
made  up  of  ranges  of  diverse  trend,  and  it  incloses  numerous 
valleys,  the  most  important  ones  being  those  in  the  general 
region  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  which  are  among  the  famed 
garden  spots  of  California.  Lyiug  near  the  coast,  with  the 
broadest  general  .slope  toward  the  sea,  and  with  a  compara- 
tively low  elevation  (2000  to  6000  feet),  the  range  possesses  a 
mild  climate  and  receives  on  the  direct  Pacific  watershed  a 
copious  rainfall  which  bestows  an  abundant  water-supply  and 
heavy  forest  growths.  The  Coast  Range  merges  with  the 
Sierra  Nevada  in  Northern  California  and  in  the  Tehachapi 
region  at  the  south. 

The  copper  deposits,  as  well  as  those  of  other  economic 
minerals,  are  found  scattered  over  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  range.  They  are  much  more  numerous  and  generally  of 
larger  magnitude  north  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  and  they 
are  of  greatest  number  and  importance  in  the  large  northern 
region  comprising  vSiski^'ou,  Del  Norte,  and  Trinity  counties, 
which  require  main  attention  in  connection  with  the  copper, 
as  well  as  the  gold,  resources  of  the  Coast  Range. 

Where  the  Sacramento  Valley  wedges  its  narrow  northern 
end  into  the  broad  mountain  mass  created  by  the  mergence  of 
the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Coast  ranges  is  found  the  Shasta  County 
copper  belt.  Because  of  the  individuality  of  this  belt,  and  its 
overshadowing  importance  as  a  copper  producer,  Shasta  County 
is  in  this  work  set  apart  from  the  copper  regions  adjoining  it 
on  the  east,  north,  and  west,  though  geographicalh'  and  topo- 
7— BuL.  23  (97) 


98  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

graphically  it  belongs  with  Siskiyou  County  to  the  north.  All 
other  copper  deposits  in  north-central  California  are  here 
grouped  as  of  the  Coast  Range. 

To  gain  a  brief  general  view  of  this  wide  northern  copper 
field,  we  may  go  northward  from  the  Shasta  County  copper 
belt  along  the  Sacramento  River  canon  and  the  railroad  line 
to  Oregon  for  thirty  miles  to  the  southern  boundan,-  of  Siski- 
you County,  finding  but  few  scattered  copper  occurrences 
through  all  this  upper  portion  of  Shasta  County.  Pursuing 
this  course  northward,  there  is  encountered  in  southern  Siskiyou 
County,  near  the  western  flank  of  Mount  Shasta,  a  series  of 
copper  deposits  ranged  along  a  belt  or  zone  several  miles  wide> 
extending  for  about  fifty  miles  northward  to  the  State  bound- 
ary along  the  central  line  of  the  county.  The  majority  of  the 
deposits  of  Siskiyou  County  noted  in  this  bulletin  are  in  this 
belt,  in  townships  6,  7,  and  8  west  and  40  to  46  north,  but 
the}'  are  most  numerous  in  the  south  central  portion,  within  a 
few  miles  of  Mount  Shasta.  This  belt  is  just  west  of  the  great 
blanketing  lava  sheet  of  northeastern  California  and  about 
seventy  miles  from  the  coast.  Practically  connecting  with  the 
northern  end  of  the  belt  described  is  another  series  of  copper 
deposits  stretching  for  sixty  miles  or  so  along  the  Siskiyou 
range  and  Klamath  River,  which  course  westward  along  the 
State  boundary  into  Del  Norte  County.  These  series  of 
deposits  constitute  copper  belts  in  only  the  broadest  meaning 
of  the  term,  being  unconnected  occurrences  geographically 
arranged  in  this  manner.  In  these  two  belts  are  the  chief 
known  copper  deposits  of  Siskiyou  County,  though  copper  is 
found  widely  scattered  in  mineral-bearing  districts  over  the 
western  half  of  the  county.  To  the  west  of  Siskiyou,  Del 
Norte  County,  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  State,  presents 
a  promising  copper  field.  The  Low  Divide  district,  about 
fifteen  miles  northeast  of  Crescent  City  on  the  coast,  and  near 
the  State  line,  is  the  best  known  district,  and  one  in  which  a 
number  of  mines  were  actively  worked  nearly  forty  years  ago. 
Other  districts  in  the  southern  and  eastern  parts  of  the  countj^ 
have  since  become  prominent  for  their  copper  prospects. 

The  region  comprising  these  two  counties,  over  which  copper 
belts  or  districts,  and  sporadic  occurrences,  are  thus  scattered, 
is,  roughly,  over  100  miles  long  and  50  to  60  miles  wide.  \'iew- 
ing  the  principal  deposits  of  the  Coast  Range  farther  southward 


COAST    KANCK    DKPOSITS.  99  ^^^e-Tj 

they  may  he  conceived  as  forming  the  stem  of  a  great,  rude  let- 
ter T.  They  lead  southward  from  southeastern  Del  Xorte  and 
southwestern  Siskiyou  along  a  belt  nearly  loo  miles  long,  which 
follows  the  boundary  line  between  Humboldt  and  Trinity  coun- 
ties, through  the  heart  of  the  range  and  its  remote  wilderness. 
A  few  groups  of  deposits  are  found  in  eastern  Humboldt  County, 
but  they  mainly  lie  in  the  two  tiers  of  townships  which  stretch 
the  length  of  western  Trinity  County.  The  outlines  of  this  big 
letter  T,  with  a  bar  50  by  100  miles  in  size,  and  with  a  stem 
100  miles  long  and  perhaps  20  miles  wide,  may,  to  aid  memory 
and  understanding,  be  regarded  as  practically  inclosing  the 
copper  deposits  of  the  northern  portion  of  the  Coast  Range  and 
the  important  copper  field  of  the  coast  region.  The  Shasta 
County  copper  belt  lies  about  50  miles  east  of  the  center  of  the 
stem  and  directly  south  of  the  eastern  end  of  the  bar. 

This  cupriferous  T  lies  in   an  undeveloped  mineral  empire 
rich  in  gold,  filled  with  mountain  streams  and  untouched  for- 
ests, and  before  it  is  opening  a  great  future,  in  which  the  min- 
ing industry  will  hold  the  leading  place.     Access  to  these  stores 
of  copper  is  gained  from  the  railroad  to  their  east,  or  from  the 
two  harbors  of  Eureka  and  Crescent  City  to  the  west,  but  from 
neither  side  do  railways  yet  reach  into  these  rugged  and  for- 
ested fastnesses,  and  main  highways  are  few.     Onl\-  mountain 
trails  lead  into  some  of  the  regions  where  copper  claims  are 
held  and  slowly  opened  at  the  surface.     Plans  for  a  railroad 
from  ICureka  across    Trinity  County  to    Redding   and   on    to 
eastern  connections  are  now  attracting  attention.     The  Coast 
Range  runs  northward   into   Oregon,   and   the   copper  region 
described  also  extends  into  the  southwestern  part  of  that  State. 
The  portion  of  the  Coast  Range  thus  descrilied  ditlfers  geo- 
logically from  the  rest  of  the  range  to  the  southward,  and  so, 
to  a  considerable  degree,  do  the  copper  deposits.     Here,  as  to 
the  south,  the  ore  bodies  occur  in  veins  in  igneous  or  meta- 
morphic  formations.     In  both  regions  serpentine   and  diorite 
are  the  characteristic  inclosing  rocks,  and  the  former  especially 
accompanies  them,  forming  one  or  both  walls.     Onlv  in  Del 
Norte  County  has  there  been  more  than  superficial  prospecting 
of  any  of  the  deposits  of  this  northern  regiou.     Quite  a  number 
of  mines  in  this  county  shipped  ore  in  the  first  half  of  the 
decade  of  the  sixties,  and  at  least  two  were  opened  to  depths  of 


100  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

about  400  feet.  These  developments  showed  the  ore  bodies, 
which  were  frequently  rich,  to  be  iiregular  bunches  of  limited 
extent,  as  a  rule,  and  not  in  well-defined  lodes.  Surface  indi- 
cations and  the  slight  developments  that  have  been  made  in 
Siski\ou,  Trinity,  and  eastern  Humboldt  make  it  probable  that 
there  the  deposits  will  be  found  more  regular  and  persistent. 
Wide  gossan  croppings  can,  in  places,  be  followed  for  several 
miles,  but  prospect  tunnels  have  yet  1)een  run  under  these 
croppings  in  but  relatively  few^  cases.  The  ensuing  notes  on 
some  of  these  prospects  show  that  in  Siskiyou  County  and  else- 
where tunnels  have  reached  ore  bodies  from  a  few  feet  to  forty 
or  more  feet  wide  and  carrying  good  values  in  copper,  with 
varying  percentages  in  the  precious  metals.  One  undeveloped 
prospect  in  the  remote  southwestern  corner  of  Trinity  County 
has  become  noted  for  the  immense  bowlders  of  sulphide  ore, 
carrying  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  which  have  come  from  an 
outcropping  deposit,  one  of  these  bowlders  being  sixty  feet 
across  the  base  and  consisting  of  several  thousand  tons  of  solid 
ore.  Large  and  valuable  deposits  will  undoubtedly  be  developed 
in  the  future.  The  copper  ores  of  these  northern  counties  are 
practically  all  sulphides.  vSurface  oxides  and  carbonates  do  not 
occur  as  frequently  and  extensively  as  throughout  the  rest  of 
the  range  to  the  southward. 

Southward  from  Trinity  County  for  about  150  miles  to  the 
bay  of  San  Francisco,  copper  deposits  are  heterogeneously 
scattered  over  the  ranges  through  the  western  ends  of  Tehama, 
Glenn,  and  Colusa  counties,  through  Mendocino  and  Lake 
counties  to  the  west,  and  through  portions  of  Sonoma,  Napa, 
and  Marin  counties  just  north  of  the  bay.  The  majority  of  the 
deposits  through  this  large  region  are  associated  with  serpen- 
tine formations,  and  the  prevalent  ores  are  oxides  and  carbon- 
ates. The  ores  are  generally  in  pockets,  and  carrj'  but  slight 
values  in  gold  and  silver.  Native  copper  occurs  as  float  in 
several  districts,  but  assumes  no  practical  importance.  The 
only  copper  belt  presented  by  this  large  portion  of  the  range  is 
one  60  miles  long,  running  along  the  eastern  slope,  near  the 
range  summit,  from  Tehama  County  southward  through 
Glenn  and  Colusa  to  a  termination  in  Lake  County.  This  is  a 
mineralized  zone,  along  which  copper  deposits  have  been  dis- 
covered at  intervals  and  many  have  been  superficially  opened 


COAST    RANC.K    DKPOSITS.  101 

by  shatts   and   tniincls.     Uiie  uf   the  small  early  attempts  at 
copfier  smelting  was  made  on  this  belt,  and  a  few  tons  of  ore 
have  been  shipped;  but,  as  elsewhere  through  this  portion  of 
the  range,  no  cojiper  deposits  of  much  importance  have  been 
discovered  and  no  successful  mining  has  ever  been  carried  on. 
West  and  south  of  this  belt  are  many  sporadic  occurrences  in 
the  counties  named,  and  a  considerable  number  have  been  pros- 
pected to  a  limited  extent  at  various  times,  chiefly  during  the 
copper  excitement  of  the  early  sixties  and  within  the  past  two 
or  three  years.     The  deposits  of  this  portion  of  the  range  are 
more   advantageously  situated  in   respect  to  convenience  of 
access  than  those  of  the  north.     Copper  mining  in  the.se  coun- 
ties has  amounted  to  little  more  than  gophering  after  stringers 
and  pockets  of  ore,  often  rich  in  quality  but  small  in  quantity. 
For  a  distance  of  about  200  miles  southward  from  the  region 
of  San  Francisco  to  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  copper  minerals 
have  been  noted  in  ever)'  county  of  the  range,  but  the  occur- 
rences are  sparse  and  of  slight  significance.     In  the  region  of 
Mount    Diablo,  in  Contra  Costa  County,  many  thousands  of 
dollars  were  spent  between   1S60  and   1866.  by  several  com- 
panies, in  prospecting  for  copper,  of  which  there  were  surface 
indications   in   the   form  of    float,   but   no  deposits  were  e\"er 
found   in    place.     Close  to  Oakland,   in    Alameda    County,   a 
recently  di.scovered    lode  carrying    copper    and    iron    pyrites 
is    being   mined    to    supply   sulphur    for    acid    manufacture. 
Many  years  ago  some  copper  ore  was  shipped  from  a  deposit 
in   vSan  Benito   County.     The  only  copper  district  worthy   of 
particular   attention,    between    vSan    Francisco    Bay    and    the 
Tehachapi  region  at  the  southern  end  of  the  Coast  Range,  is 
one  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County.     Here  is  a  belt  of  cupriferous 
ores  extending  for   perhaps  20  miles  through  the  mountains 
between  the  town  of  San  Luis  Obispo  and  the  old  mission  of 
Santa  Margarita.     During  tha  first  period  of  copper  mining  in 
California  a  great  many  claims  were  staked  out  and  considera- 
ble ore  was  shipped  from  .several  mines  of  small  development. 
Recently  renewed  attention  has  been  given  to  some  of  these 
properties.     Near  vSoledad  Pass,  in  the  general  region  of  the 
mergence  of  the  Coast  and  Sierra  Nevada  ranges  at  the  south, 
there  is  a  copper  district  which  afforded  the  first  copper  ores 
ever  mined  in  California,  and  which  was  a  lively  copper  mining 
camp  for  a  short  time  in  early  days. 


102  THK    COPPKk    RESOURCES   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Throughout  the  Coast  Range  there  has  been  no  production 
of  copper  since  the  small  ore  shipments  of  former  times. 
Many  new  and  old  locations  have  been  prospected  recently. 
The  northern  counties  promise  important  future  developments, 
and  throughout  the  range  various  properties  will  probably 
become  small  producers  in  time. 


SISKIY(  )U  COUNTY. 


Siskiyou  County  lies  along  the  northern  boundary  of  Cali- 
fornia, one  half  the  length  of  which  it  measures,  and  has 
adjoining  it  Del  Norte  on  the  west,  Modoc  on  the  east,  and 
Shasta  and  Trinity  counties  on  the  south.  Its  entire  area  of 
3040  square  miles  is  an  exceedingly  broken  and  picturesque 
expanse  of  mountains,  caiions,  and  wilderness,  threaded  by  a 
multitude  of  streams  running  southward  to  the  Sacramento 
and  northerly  and  westerly  to  the  Klamath  River,  which 
courses  for  70  miles  through  the  county. 

The  most  prominent  mountain  ranges  are  the  Klamath, 
Scott,  and  Salmon.  Mount  Shasta,  in  the  southern  part,  raises 
its  whitened  volcanic  peak  14,450  feet  above  the  sea.  The 
eastern  third  of  the  county,  comprising  thirty-four  townships, 
is  blanketed  by  a  portion  of  the  great  Sierra  Nevada  lava  sheet, 
forbidding  both  mining  and  agriculture.  The  rest  of  the 
county  displays  much  mineral  wealth,  mainly  concentrated  in 
various  belts  and  districts.  There  are  but  two  agricultural 
valleys  of  importance,  the  Scott  and  Shasta,  the  former  40 
miles  long  by  6  miles  wide.  There  is  a  multitude  of  springs, 
and  some  important  mineral  springs  are  well  known. 

Its  mineral  resources  constitute  the  basis  of  Siskiyou's  pros- 
perity and  progress.  Its  auriferous  gravels  still  provide  the 
bulk  of  the  county's  gold  output,  though  the  period  of  simple 
placer  mining  passed  long  ago.  Along  the  Klamath  and 
important  tributaries  large  gravel  deposits  support  profitable 
hydraulic  mines  and  atTord  abundant  opportunities  for  their 
multiplication.  River-bed  mining,  by  the  use  of  wingdams, 
has  been  pursued  more  extensively  than  in  any  other  county. 
Now  gold  dredging  has  become  firmly  established  and  prom- 


siSKivor  corNTv.  103 

ises  to  expand.  Here,  as  in  other  mining  counties,  the 
growth  of  the  raining  industry  dei^nds  on  the  development  of 
the  quartz  mines,  and  in  this  direction  Siskiyou  County  is  now 
making  the  greatest  progress  in  its  history.  Successful  gold 
quartz  mines  have  been  developed  in  the  past,  notably  the 
Black  Bear  with  a-  record  of  over  $2,500,000,  but  only  within 
three  or  four  years  has  prospecting  for  gold  ores  been  general 
and  active  and  investments  of  mining  capital  fre<iuent.  This 
development  proceeds  rapidly,  in  spite  of  the  surviving  lack  of 
roads  and  trails  to  some  of  the  rich  but  remote  mining  districts. 
The  Southern  Pacific  railroad  to  Oregon  crosses  the  county, 
with  a  branch  to  Yreka.  Most  of  the  county  is  yet  public 
land,  and  the  prospector  has  a  wide  and  free  field.  Platinum, 
chrome,  lead,  coal,  iron,  and  mineral  waters  are  among  the 
minerals  occurring  here.  This  is  one  of  the  few  counties  of 
the  State  making  an  annual  mineral  record  exceeding 
$1,000,000.     Its   output    in    1900    was   $1,010,383,    of    which 

$951-397  ^^':i^  i"  ^ol'^^- 

The   copper   mines  and    prospects  of    Si.skiyou  County  are 

widely  scattered  over  the  central  and  northern  portions  of  the 
county,  and  include  some  properties  of  considerable  magni- 
tude. Most  of  them  are  of  comparatively  recent  development, 
few  of  them  having  found  mention  in  the  later  reports  of  the 
State  Mineralogist.  In  the  central  portions  of  the  county  the 
prospects  are  confined  to  a  very  few  townships  lying  to  the  east 
of  Scott  Valley,  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Jones  and  on  certain 
tributaries  of  the  East  Fork  of  vScott  River.  The  formations  in 
which  these  deposits  occur  are  either  peridotite  or  gabbro,  or  a 
metamorphic  schist  overlying  these  eruptives.  The  ores  are 
largely  sulphides  of  iron  and  copper,  and  include  pyrite, 
pyrrhotite,  and  chalcopyrite.  Some  of  the  deposits  that  have 
been  regarded  as  valuable  for  copper  are  chiefly  interesting  for 
their  gold  and  silver  values,  and  as  a  po.s.sible  source  of 
silicious  ores  for  prospective  operations. 

The  prospects  found  to  the  north  of  the  Klamath  River  are 
scattered  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the  Siskiyou  range 
from  the  vicinity  of  the  Cottonwood  Valley  westward  to  Pres- 
ton Peak.  They  may  be  grouped  in  five  districts — the  Cotton- 
wood, Applegate,  Indian  Creek,  Clear  Creek,  and  Preston  Peak 
districts. 

The  formations  in  which  these  deposits  occur  are  various. 


104  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OK   CALIFORNIA. 

The  Siskiyou  range,  like  other  east-and-west  ranges  in  the 
Klamath  region,  is  one  of  complex  geological  structure.  In 
general  terms  it  is  composed  largely  of  crystalline  schists  and 
slates  and  basic  eruptive  rocks  which  are  involved  in  or  under- 
lie them.  The  basic  rocks  are  mainly  of  the  peridotite-diorite 
class.     Oranite  also  occurs  at  intervals  throughout  the  range. 

The  basic  crystalline  (eruptive)  rocks  form  some  of  the 
most  prominent  points  of  the  range,  no  less  conspicuous  for 
their  color  than  for  their  altitude.  Several  of  the  prominent 
mountains  have  been  indiscriminately  styled  "Red  Mountain," 
on  account  of  the  reddish-brown  color  which  peridotite 
assumes  in  weathering.  Preston  Peak,  Greyback,  and  others 
of  the  higher  summits  are  of  diorite  or  kindred  rocks.  While 
the  main  course  of  the  range  is  westerly,  its  actual  watershed 
is  extremely  devious,  passing  alternately  into  Oregon  and  into 
Northern  California.  Copper  deposits  are  found  either  in 
slate,  schist,  diorite,  gabbro,  or  serpentine. 

The  Siskiyou  Mountain  Copper  Belt,  if  it  may  be  so  styled, 
follows  approximately  the  Oregon  and  California  state  line  for 
a  distance  of  60  miles,  with  a  width  of  more  than  20  miles 
from  the  Klamath  River  north  into  Oregon.  As  a  mining 
region  it  has  been  prospected  to  a  very  small  extent  for  either 
gold  or  copper.  Yet  it  is  interesting  to  remember  that  the 
streams  heading  in  this  range,  both  on  the  north  and  south, 
have  been  among  the  richest  placer  streams  in  this  region. 
And  it  is  also  true  that  this  range  contains  as  clear  evidences 
of  copper  deposits  as  of  gold,  and  should  be  as  attractive  to 
prospectors  in  search  of  base  metals  as  to  those  in  search  of 
any  other.  Although  this  region  is  exceptionally  rugged  in 
places,  it  is  by  no  means  unapproachable,  particularly  from 
the  north.  The  natural  advantages  of  water-power  and 
timber  are  everywhere  abundant. 

The  following  groups  of  copper  claims  are  those  of  most  note 
that  are  at  present  known  in  Siskiyou  County: 

Hummer  Group. — Consists  of  three  claims  in  vSec.  18, 
T.  40  N.,  R.  7  W.,  M.  1).  M.;  owned  1)y  Messrs.  Mischler  & 
Rollins,  of  Callahans.  These  claims  have  been  worked  to  only 
a  limited  extent  by  shafts  and  open  cuts.  The  formation  is 
mainly  serpentine,  though  the  ore  deposits  are  connected  with 
dikes  of  quartz  porphyry  which  have  penetrated  the  serpentine. 
The  ore  lies  in  irregular  bodies,  consisting  of  pyrrhotite  and 


SISKIYOf    COrXTV — COPPKK    ci.Anis.  105 

other  sulphides  carr>iii^  copper.     The  ore  is  said  to  contain 
nickel.     Development  work  was  in  progress. 

Bonanza  Group. — Twelve  claims  in  one  body  situated  in 
Sees.  27  and  34,  T.  .[2  X.,  R.  s  \\'.;  owned  1)\-  Charles  vS. 
Cowan,  of  F'ort  Jones,  W.  vS.  Carrico,  and  others.  Developed 
by  shafts  and  luiinels;  work  in  progress.  These  deposits  are 
in  the  form  of  quartz  veins  carrying  a  small  percentage  of 
sulphides,  but  are  chiefly  interesting  for  their  gold  and  silver 
values. 

Copper  Queen  Claim. — One  claim  in  vSec.  27,  T.  46  X., 
R.  y  \\'.;  owned  h}'  II.  J.  Barton,  of  Oak  Bar,  and  William 
Moxey;  developed  bj'  tunnels  300  feet  in  length.  The  deposit 
is  a  ([uartz  vein  carrying  sulphurets  of  iron  and  copper.     Idle. 

Plutus  Group. — F'ive  claims  situated  in  vSecs.  12  and  14. 
T.  40  N.,  R.  8  W.;  owned  by  McCarter  and  John  Krickson,  of 
Callahans.  Developed  to  a  limited  extent.  The  ore  is  p\  rrho- 
tite,  with  a  small  percentage  of  copper.  The  formation  is 
gabbro  and  serpentine.     Developing. 

Fortuna  Group. — Two  claims  in  Sec.  14,  T.  40  X.,  R.  s  \\'.; 
owned  by  E.  G.  Harrison  of  Callahans,  and  others.  Developed 
by  a  shaft  40  feet  deep.  The  ore  is  pyrrhotite,  etc.,  in  gabbro 
and  diorite.     Developing. 

Solomon. — One  claim  in  Sec.  14,  T  40  X'.,  R.  s  \\'.;  owned 
by  M.  Greenberg  of  San  Francisco,  and  developed  by  one  shaft 
15  feet  in  depth. 

Hidden  Treasure. — Three  claims,  located  on  Boulder 
Creek,  four  miles  southwest  of  Callahans;  owned  by  John 
Russel  and  the  Alger  Brothers  of  Callahans.  The  vein  is  said 
to  have  a  width  of  8  feet,  consisting  of  sulphide  with  some 
quartz.  It  carries  copper,  with  some  gold  and  silver.  On  the 
projierty  there  is  one  tunnel  100  feet  long.     De\eloping. 

August  Flower  Group. — Two  claims  in  vSec.  i,  T.  41  N., 
R.  8  W.;  owned  by  Harrison  Bros.,  of  Callahans.  Developed 
to  only  a  small  extent.  The  ore  consists  of  irregular  bodies  of 
pyrrhotite  and  chalcopyrite  in  serpentine.     De\eloping. 

Huntley  Claim. — One  claim  situated  in  vSec.  12,  T.  40  X'., 
R.  8  \V.;  owned  by  Harry  Mitchell,  William  Bremer,  et  a].,  of 
Callahans;   100  feet  of  tunnels  completed  and  a  shaft  22  feet 


106  THK    COPPKK    RESOURCES    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

deep.     The    ore    consists    of     pyrrhotite     and     chalcopyrite. 
Developing. 

Lytic. — Two  claims  in  Sec.  20,  T.  40  N.,  R.  7  W.;  owned 
by  J.  A.  Lytle  &  Son,  of  Callahans.  Developed  by  300  feet  of 
tunneling.  The  ore,  which  consists  of  irregular  bodies  of 
chalcopyrite  and  pyrrhotite,  follows  a  contact  between  a  dike  of 
quartz  porphyry  and  serpentine.  vSome  of  the  lenses  of  ore 
have  a  thickness  of  10  to  15  feet.  The  ore  also  contains  some 
gold.     Developing. 

Polar  Bear  Claim. — One  claim  in  Sec.  12,  T.  40  N.,  R.  8  \V.; 
owned  by  G.  Welker  &  Sons,  of  Callahans,  and  others.  Devel- 
oped by  a  shaft  40  feet  deep  and  tunnels  70  feet  in  length.  The 
principal  ore  body  consists  of  a  shoot  5  to  6  feet  wide,  from 
which  nearly  200  tons  of  ore  were  extracted  in  1900,  carrying 
values  reported  at  about  1 7  per  cent  of  copper.  The  ore  is 
chalcopyrite  and  pyrrhotite  in  serpentine.     Developing. 

Rader  Group. — Three  claims  in  Sec.  17,  T.  40  N.,  R.  7  W.; 
owned  by  Charles  Rader,  of  Gazelle,  and  others.  Some  develop- 
ment work  has  been  done.  The  ore  consists  of  pyrrhotite,  and 
is  said  to  contain  nickel.     Developing. 

Turner  Claim. — One  claim  in  vSec.  7,  T.  40  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Some  work  has  been  done,  with  a  good  showing  of  chalcopj'- 
rite.     Developing. 

Monarch  Copper  Group. — Consists  of  about  240  acres  of 
patented  land  situated  in  the  east  half  of  Sec.  7,  T.  40  N.,  R.  7  \V. ; 
owned  by  the  Monarch  Copper  Mining  Company,  Charles  F. 
Pettej-,  of  Callahans,  president.  Developed  b\-  about  200  feet 
of  tunnels  and  a  shaft  20  feet  and  one  30  feet  deep.  Sulphide 
ores  of  good  grade  are  reported.     Developing. 

Thanksgiving  Group. — Consists  of  several  claims  one  and 
a  half  miles  northeast  of  Oro  Fino;  owned  by  George  Hen- 
derson, of  Fort  Jones.  Small  development.  Surface  indications 
ver3'  good. 

Rothkoph  Group. — Fifteen  claims  located  in  Sees.  5,  6,  7, 
and  8,  T.  43  N.,  R.  8  W.,  four  miles  northeast  of  Fort  Jones; 
owned  by  George  Henderson,  of  Fort  Jones.  Developed  by 
shafts  and  tunnels  with  a  total  length  of  350  feet.  The 
formations  are  basic  eruptive  rocks,  including  serpentine 
overlaid  by  silicious  strata   containing  some  slate.     The  ore 


SISKIVor    COINTY — Cori'KK    CLAIMS. 


lo: 


lies  partly  alou^  the  contacl.  and  consists  of  chalcopyrite  ami 
jurite  in  lenticular  bodies,  having  a  width  of  5  or  6  feet. 
vSeveral  patches  of  gossan  and  iron-stained  rock  occur  on  the 
surface.  vSonie  of  the  ore  carries  values  reported  at  12  to  15 
per  cent  copper. 

Schnider  Claims.— Two  claims  in  Sec.  i  2.  T.  40  X..  R.  s  \V., 
and  vSec.  18,  T.  40  X.,  K.  7  ^V.  Developed  to  a  small  extent 
by  open  cuts.  The  ore  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Polar  Bear. 
Owned  by  L-  vSchnider  (S:  Son,  of  Callahans. 

Rainbow  Group.— Fourteen  claims  in  T.  40  N.,  R.  5  W  .. 
four  miles  southwest  of  Sisson;  owned  by  the  Mount  Eddy 
Mining  and  Development  Company,  of  vSan  Francisco, 
(iossan  croppings.  100  to  600  feet  wide,  are  exposed  for  over  a 
mile  on  a  spur  of  Mount  F:ddy.  The  nearly  vertical  ledge  is 
cross-cut  by  deep  canons,  from  one  of  which  a  short  prospecting 
tunnel  has  been  run.  Copper  minerals  are  shown,  but  the 
value  of  the  property  is  indicated  only  by  surface  exposures. 

Yellow  Buttes  Group.— Three  claims  situated  about  fifteen 
miles  southeast  of  Montague,  on  the  north  slope  of  Mount 
Shasta.  Owned  by  Harvey  vSorter,  of  Montague,  and  the 
Dennis  Brothers.  This  property  is  but  little  developed  at 
liresent.  The  formations  are  schist  and  granitic  rock,  between 
which  the  vein  extends  in  a  north  and  south  direction,  having 
a  width  of  4  or  5  feet.  The  ores  are  chalcoinrite  and  the 
carbonates  of  copper  in  a  gangue  of  quartz. 

Bonanza  Group. —Two  claims  in  T.  47  X.,  R.  s  W.,  M.  D.  M.; 
owned  by  ICrick  Carlson,  of  Hornbrook,  and  others.  The 
property  is  developed  by  520  feet  of  tunnels,  shafts,  etc.,  show- 
ing a  deposit  of  sulphide  ore  8  to  12  feet  thick,  which  has  been 
followed  laterally  for  a  distance  of  100  feet.  The  ores  are 
pyrrhotite  and  chalcopyrite,  some  of  which  carry  a  good 
percentage  of  copper.  Assays  have  shown  reported  values 
ranging  from  8  to  20  per  cent  copper. 

Bunnell  Group.— Comprises  a  number  of  claims  situated 
near  the  head  of  Dutch  Creek,  adjoining  the  Bonanza  group, 
and  containing  similar  ores.  They  are  owned  by  the  Bunnell 
Brothers,  of  Gottville.     They  have  been  developed  but  little. 

Unexpected  Group.— Two  claims  in  Sec.  17,  T.  47  X., 
R.  S  \V.;  owned  by  Ponnay  Brothers  et  al.,  of  Portland,  Or. 
These  claims  join  the  Bonanza  and  Bunnell  groups,  and  con- 


108 


THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


tain  ores  of  the  same  character.     They  are  at  present  developed 
only  by  short  tunnels  and  open  cuts. 

The  deposits  of  the  three  preceding  groups  are  mainly 
contained  in  a  crystalline  (hornblendic)  schist,  associated  with 
peridotite. 


Blue  Ledge  Group. — Twenty-three  claims,  owned  by  L.  F. 
Cooper,  W'ni.  H.  Hamilton,  and  others,  of  Crescent  City.  The 
property  is  developed  by  over  200  feet  of  tunnels  and  some 
open  cuts.     The  formation  is  a  crystalline  schist,  silicious  and 


SISKIYOr    COrNTY— COI'PKR    CLAIMS.  109 

chloritic  in  character,  with  a  steep  inclination  to  the  west.  It 
is  associated  with  basic  eruptive  rocks.  A  large  body  of  sul- 
phide ore  has  been  struck  upon  this  property,  one  tunnel 
having  penetrated  the  solid  ore  for  a  distance  of  more  than  lOO 
feet,  with  cross-cuts  showing  a  width  of  40  feet  or  more.  The 
ore  bears  pyrite,  chalcopyrite,  and  other  sulphides  and  oxides 
of  iron  and  copper.  It  carries  a  small  percentage  of  zinc 
blende  and  some  (luartz.  The  average  value  of  the  ore  is 
reported  above  6  per  cent,  while  some  assays  have  shown  very 
high-grade  results.  vSamples  have  shown  a  reported  value  in 
gokl  and  silver  of  more  than  $5  per  ton.  The  apparent  oppor- 
tunities for  finding  other  shoots  of  ore  are  good.  This  prop- 
"  erty  forms  one  of  the  more  important  of  the  copper  prospects 
of  the  Siskiyou  Mountains. 

Nigger  Creek  Group. — Several  claims  owned  by  David 
Jones  of  Fort  Jones,  et  al.,  situated  near  the  head  of  Nigger 
Creek,  five  miles  northwest  of  Hamburg  Bar.  Small  develop- 
ment. 

Clear  Creek  Group. — Five  claims,  situated  on  Clear  Creek, 
eleven  miles  southwest  of  Happy  Camp;  owned  by  L.  T. 
Hendricks  and  M.  Thompson,  of  Happy  Camp.  The  property 
is  developed  by  a  short  tunnel.  The  deposit  is  said  to  have  a 
width  of  30  feet  and  appears  at  intervals  for  a  distance  of  2000 
feet  or  more.  The  ore  is  a  mixture  of  slate,  quartz,  and  sul- 
phides, the  latter  apparently  of  good  grade. 

Indian  Creek  Group.— Ten  claims  situated  along  the  east 
side  of  Indian  Creek,  extending  northward  to  five  miles  north 
of  Happy  Camp.  Owned  by  J.  Henry  Wood,  W.  R.  Brown, 
and  the  Hendrickson  Brothers,  of  Happy  Camp.  Developed  by 
tunnels  aggregating  about  475  feet.  The  formation  is  slate 
overlying  peridotite  at  the  north.  The  ores  are  pyrite  and 
chalcopyrite  interlaminated  with  slate,  forming  shoots  of  a 
mixed  character  20  to  40  feet  in  thickness.  Some  very  good 
ore  has  been  found  with  gold  and  silver. 

Klamath  Group.— Three  claims  situated  three  miles  east 
of  Happy  Camp;  owned  by  J.  H.  Wood,  W.  J.  Brown.  Martin 
Cuddihy,  et  al.  Seventy-five  feet  of  tunnel  has  been  completed, 
and  ore  found  which  is  said  to  have  a  value  of  12  per  cent  in 
copper. 


110 


THE    COPPKR    RESOURCES   OK   CALIFORNIA. 


Preston  Peak  Group. — Five  claims  situated  at  the  head  of 
the  south  fork  of  Indian  Creek,  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of 


ISSUED  BY 


Siskiyou  County  (SlM^^KEAt 


V    LEWIS  EAUBURY, 


PRESTON  PEAK  GROUP 
OF  COPPER  MINES. 


T 

I 

Ml//, 


Preston  Peak;  owned  by  Preston  Peak  Copper  Mining  Companw 
Developed   to  .some  extent  in  past  years.     The    formation  is 


DKI,    NORTH    COINTV.  HI 

mainly  diorite  or  gal)l)n).  The  lode  crosses  the  sumniil  in 
u  southwesterly  direction,  and  consists  of  a  succession  of 
shoots,  some  of  which  have  a  width  of  20  to  30  feet.  The 
ores  are  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite.  The  average  grade  of  the 
ore  is  said  to  be  12  per  cent  in  copper,  with  some  gold.  This 
property  is  one  of  the  pioneer  discoveries  of  the  vSiskiyou  l)elt. 


I)l-L  XORII:  COUNTY. 


Del  Norte  County  commands  a  prominent  place  in  any  story 
of  California's  copper  industry,  on  account  of  its  historical 
associations  with  the  beginning  of  that  industry  and  because 
of  the  quite  widespread  occurrences  of  copper  ores,  their  fre- 
quent richness,  and  the  possibilities  of  future  dexelopment. 

It  is  one  of  the  smaller  counties  of  the   State,    is    sparsely 
settled,  and  possesses  well-wooded  and  mineralized  mountains 
in  the  seclusion  of  the  northwest  corner  of  the  vState,  far  from 
railroads,  and  with  the  Pacific  for  its  chief  highway  to  the  rest 
of  the  world.     It  is  this  remoteness  which  has  been  the  prin- 
cipal hindrance  to  the  development  of  its  mineral  resources, 
among  which  copper  has  ever  held  an  important  place.     As  is 
noted  elsewhere,  copper  mining  was  active  here  in  the  sixties, 
and  thousands  of  tons  of  high-grade  ore  were  shipped  to  Swan- 
sea at  a  cost  of  alxDUt  $30  per  ton,  including  costly  haulage  to 
the  coast.     That  unfavorable  economic  condition,  coupled  with 
lower  prices  for  copper  and  a  partial  exhaustion  of  rich  surface 
ores,  imposed  a  long  quiescence  on  the  industry.     The  copper 
revival    has    again    quickened    interest    in    Del    Norte's   oft- 
mentioned  copper  deposits,  of  which  only  superficial  explora- 
tion has  yet  made  anything  known,  and  many  old  claims  have 
been  re-opened   and   prospecting   has   added  many   new  dis- 
coveries.    Many  favorable  conditions  for  copper  mining  exi.st, 
and  .sooner  or  later  capital  will  undertake  efficient  exploitation 
by  modern   methods  and  production   will  be  resumed.     The 
larger  part  of  the  county's  area  is  yet  public  land,  and  here  the 
prosi^ector  finds  a  continuance  of  the  wide  and  attractive  field 
aflforded  in  adjoining  counties  of  Northern  California. 

Most  of  the  known  deposits  of  copper  in  this  county  lie  along 


112  Tin-:  COPPER  resources  of  California. 

its  northern  border,  and  for  the  most  part  are  situated  on  some 
of  the  northern  tributaries  of  Smith  River.  Three  districts 
are  now  generally  recognized  along  this  belt,  although  good 
deposits  occur  outside  of  them  in  other  sections  of  the  county. 
The  two  older  districts  are  those  of  the  Low  Divide  and  of 
Diamond  Creek.  The  more  recent  discoveries  have  been  made 
farther  east,  upon  Shelly  Creek,  and  one  of  the  tributaries  of 
the  Siskiyou  Fork  of  Smith  River.  In  the  southern  portion  of 
the  county  is  the  Doctor  Rock  group,  which  will  be  mentioned 
elsewhere. 

The  formation  which  composes  the  greater  part  of  Del  Norte 
County  and  that  in  which  most  of  the  copper  deposits  lie  is 
peridotite  (serpentine).'  Diorite  or  gabbro  is  generally  found 
accompanying  the  peridotite,  and  they  are  generally  regarded 
as  more  favorable  to  permanent  deposits  of  ore.  The  cores,  or 
central  portions,  of  many  of  the  ridges  and  spurs  are  of  a  gray 
crystalline  rock,  either  gabbro  or  diorite.  This  is  superficially 
covered  by  a  thick  casing  of  serpentine.  The  diorite  or  gab- 
bro appears  in  the  more  prominent  points  of  the  mountain, 
protruding  through  the  serpentine,  or  exposed  by  erosion  in 
some  of  the  deeper  canons.  At  the  contact  of  the  serpentine 
with  the  gabbro  or  diorite,  or  within  the  crystalline  gray  rocks 
themselves,  have  been  found  some  of  the  better  deposits  of  ore, 
not  only  in  Del  Norte  County,  but  also  in  Siskiyou  and 
Trinity  counties. 

Most  of  the  copper  deposits  of  this  county,  however,  are 
either  in  the  peridotite,  or  are  more  or  less  closely  connected 
with  it.  In  many  cases  the  shoots  of  ore  that  have  been 
developed  in  former  years  are  limited  in  extent,  few  of  them 
having  been  proven  to  contain  more  than  a  few  hundred,  or 
even  a  few  tons  of  ore.  They  are  generally  irregular,  or  else 
consist  of  a  series  of  bunches  or  lenses  of  ore  arranged  along  a 
zone  which  is  itself  only  vaguel)^  definable.  The  ore  is  often 
of  very  high  grade,  consisting  of  copper  glance,  black  and  red 
oxides,  carbonates,  and  native  copper.  Pyrrhotite  is  often 
found,  and  in  some  cases  magnetic  iron  or  chromite  accom- 
panies the  ores  of  copper.  Chalcopyrite  is  not  common.  Gold 
and  silver  are  almost  universally  reported  as  accompanying 
the  copper  and  correspondingly  increasing  its  value.  It  is  not 
unusual  for  shipments  of  ore  to  carry  an  average  of  30  per  cent, 


j)i:i,  NoKTi':  cnrNTv — coppkh  ci.Anis. 


113 


-Bii..  2^i 


114  THE   COPPKR    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

and  often  reach  50  to  60  per  cent  in  copper.  The  cost  of 
shipping  ore  from  Crescent  City  to  San  Francisco  is  approxi- 
mately $6  per  ton.  The  transportation  of  ore  from  the  mines 
to  the  landing  varies  in  each  case,  but  it  has  generally  ranged 
between  $2.50  and  $10  per  ton. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  more  important  copper  mines 
and  claims  in  the  various  districts  of  Del  Norte  County: 

LOW  DIVIDE  DISTRICT. 

Alta  Group. — Two  patented  claims,  owned  by  the  Bacon 
estate,  San  Francisco;  not  worked  since  1865;  located  in 
Sec.  35,  T.  18  N.,  R.  I  E.,  H.  M. 

Aurora  Group. — Four  claims  two  miles  east  of  the  Alta; 
owned  by  T.  J.  McXamara,  of  Crescent  City,  and  others.  The 
ore  of  this  mine  is  reported  to  contain  considerable  gold  in 
addition  to  the  copper  contents. 

Copper  Hill  Group. — Four  claims  one-half  mile  east  of  the 
Alta  mine;  owned  b\-  the  Low  Divide  Copper  Mining  Company. 
This  group  is  believed  to  cover  three  distinct  lodes,  two  of 
which  have  a  northerly  course.  The  ore  is  high-grade  sul- 
phides, oxides,  and  carbonates.  John  Murray,  Crescent  City, 
is  president  of  the  company. 

Express  Mine. — The  claim  is  northeast  of  the  Alta;  \Vm. 
Fleming,  Crescent  City,  owner. 

Mammoth  Mine. — One  patented  claim  in  Sec.  26,  T.  18  X., 
R.  I  E.,  H.  M.;  owned  by  the  Tyson  Company,  of  Baltimore, 
Md.  The  claim  contains  deposits  of  both  chromic  iron  and 
copper  ore.     Both  have  been  developed  to  some  extent. 

Occidental  Group, — Five  claims  joining  the  Alta  on  the 
south;  owned  by  the  Low  Divide  Copper  Mining  Company. 

Occidental  No.  2.— The  claim  is  located  near  Copper  Hill; 
owned  by  J.  A.  Johnson,  Crescent  City. 

Union  Group. — Two  claims  joining  the  Alta  on  the  north; 
owned  by  the  Union  Copper  Mining  Company. 


DKI.    NORTH    CorNTV — COl'l'KK    CLAIMS.  115 

DIAMOND  CREEK  DISTRICT. 

Bear's  Nest  Group. — Kight  claims  on  west  side  ot  the 
North  Fork  of  Smith  River,  near  the  Oregon  and  California 
state  line;  owned  by  Isaac  Dietrick,  of  Smith  River,  Malone 
Bros..  McXamara  et  al.  Developed  by  a  long  tunnel  and  open 
cuts;  ore  forming  a  lode  9  feet  in  thickness  and  consisting  of 
]\\  rrhotite  aiid  other  sulphides,  with  some  gold  and  silver. 

Five  Diamonds  Group.— Five  claims,  situated  on  Diamond 
Creek;  owned  by  C.  W.  Baker,  of  Medford,  Or.,  Harvey 
Colson  et  al. 

Keystone  Group. — Two  claims  situated  on  the  North  F'ork 
of  Smith  River,  near  the  State  line;  owned  by  Isaac  Dietrick. 
Developed  by  short  tunnels  and  open  cuts.  The  formation  is 
seri->entine.  The  ores  are  copper  glance,  red  and  black  oxides, 
carbonates,  and  native  copper.  Five  tons  of  ore  which  was 
shipi->ed  to  a  reduction  works  had  a  reported  value  of  62  per 
cent  of  copper.     Magnetic  iron  also  appears  in  the  claims. 

McKee  Claims. — Three  or  more  claims  situated  near  the 
mouth  of  Diamond  Creek  on  the  North  F'ork  of  Smith  River; 
owned  by  Simon  McKee,  Smith  River.     Some  development. 

SHELLY  CREEK  DISTRICT. 

Alameda  Group. — Two  claims  on  vShelly  Creek,  one-half 
mile  west  of  station;  owned  by  J.  E.  Hill  &  Son,  Shelly  Creek. 
Developed  by  short  tunnels.  Formation  diorite.  Ores  are 
pyrite  and  chalcopyrite.  with  quartz  and  waste  matter.  Sul- 
jihide  values  reported  at  about  3  per  cent  in  coj^per,  but  ore  is 
said  to  carry  considerable  gold. 

Call  Group. — Two  claims  on  east  .side  of  Shelly  Creek,  one- 
half  mile  east  of  station;  owned  by  F.  B.  Edwards.  Developed 
by  tunnels  and  shafts  aggregating  200  feet.  The  ore  is 
pyrrhotite  and  chalcopyrite.  forming  irregular  bodies  in 
serpentine,  and  carrying  some  gold. 

Eva  Group. — Three  claims  on  Pattrick  Creek,  one  mile 
west  of  Anderson's  station;  owned  by  J.  B.  Hill,  Shelly  Creek, 
et  al.  Tunnel  1 2  feet  long,  with  shafts  and  open  cuts.  Good 
sulphides  occur  in  quartz.     The  lode  is  said  to  be  15  feet  wide. 


116  THK   C0PPP:R    resources   of   CALIFORNIA. 

Prudential  Group. — Six  claims  .situated  on  Shell}-  Creek,  one 
mile  north  of  Shelly  Creek  station;  owned  by  the  Prudential 
Mining  Company,  H.  S.  Reed,  Medford,  Or.,  manager. 
Developed  b>-  a  25-foot  tunnel  and  a  shaft  106  feet  deep,  with 
cross-cuts  on  the  lode.  The  ore  lies  in  two  bodies  with  north 
and  south  strike,  dipping  east  30  degrees.  The  upper  vein  has  a 
thickness  of  25  feet,  the  lower  one  being  still  thicker.  The  ore 
is  sulphide  of  iron  carrying  small  percentages  of  copper  and 
zinc.  The  chief  values  are  in  the  gold  content.  The  lode 
has  been  traced  for  more  than  1000  feet  on  the  surface. 

Tuesday  Morning-  Group. — Eleven  claims,  one  and  a 
half  miles  southwest  .of  station  on  vShelly  Creek ;  owned  by 
J.  E.  Hill  &  Son.  But  little  developed;  carries  some  good  ore, 
consisting  of  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite,  with  some  gold. 

OTHER  DISTRICTS 

Del  Norte  Group. — Two  claims  one  mile  north  of  Adams 
Station,  Smith  River;  owned  by  Mary  Adams.  Small  develop- 
ment, but  good  ore  found,  consisting  of  sulphides  with  some 
magnetic  iron. 

Doctor  Rock  Group. — Five  or  more  claims  situated  near 
the  head  of  Blue  Creek,  twenty  miles  north  of  the  Klamath 
River;  owned  by  Thompson  Bros.,  Requa,  Cal.,  et  al. 

Higgins  Mountain  Group. — Five  claims,  situated  on  the 
Siskiyou  Fork  of  Smith  River,  five  miles  south  from  mouth  of 
Monkey  Creek;  owned  by  James  Higgins,  of  Smith  River,  and 
James  White.  Development  work  con.sists  of  open  cuts.  Ore 
consists  of  high-grade  copper  glance,  oxides,  and  carbonates, 
forming  irregular  shoots  in  serpentine. 

Monkey  Creek  Group. — Six  claims,  three  miles  east  from 
the  mouth  of  Monkey  Creek,  on  the  Middle  Fork  of  vSmith 
River;  owned  b\-  ^^'.  I^.  Higgins  &  Sons,  of  vSmith  River. 
Developed  ])y  short  tunnels  on  opposite  sides  of  the  caiion. 
The  ore  is  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite  in  dioritic  rock.  The  values 
of  the  sulphide  are  said  to  range  from  3  to  8  per  cent  in  copper. 


TKIMTV    CUl'NTV.  H' 


1  RiNirv  corxi Y. 


Trinity  County  lies  in  the  heart  of  the  Coast  Range,  and 
comprises  a  very  large  portion  of  the  vast  and  slightly 
developed  mineral  region  of  Northern  California,  being  approxi- 
mately 50  by  100  miles  in  width  and  length.  It  lies  south  of 
western  .Siskiyou  County,  whose  characteristics  it  shares,  and 
its  eastern  boundary  is  the  summit  line  dividing  the  water- 
sheds of  the  vSacramento  River  and  the  direct  Pacific  slope. 
Humboldt  County  separates  it  from  the  .sea  on  the  west.  The 
entire  surface  of  the  county  is  mountainous,  is  profusely 
watered  by  the  Trinity  River  and  its  numerous  tributaries,  and 
is  ([uite  densely  forested.  Owing  to  remoteness  from  rail- 
roads, the  great  natural  resources  are  very  slightly  developed. 
The  i:)opulation  is  sparse.  The  forests  are  practically  untouched 
by  the  lumberman,  and  most  of  the  county  yet  belongs  to  the 
public  domain. 

Over  half  the  county  is  mineral-bearing  and  mining  is 
almost  the  only  industry.  There  is  a  vast  extent  of  auriferous 
gravels  accompanying  the  pre.sent  streams  and  also  composing 
high-lying  ridges  and  benches  which  mark  the  course  of  an 
ancient  river  through  the  northern  and  central  parts  of  the 
county.  The  early  surface  placers,  now  exhausted,  were 
exceedingly  rich,  and  at  an  early  day  the  old  gravel  deposits 
referred  to,  in  places  hundreds  of  feet  deep,  began  to  be  mined 
by  the  hydraulic  process.  For  many  years  hydraulic  mining 
has  been  the  chief  form  of  the  industry  in  Trinity  County, 
and,  since  the  legal  restriction  of  hydraulic  mining  on  the 
Sierra  slope,  the  largest  hydraulic  operations  of  America  have 
been  those  by  the  Trinity,  near  Junction  City.  As  the  Trinity 
and  Klamath  are  not  navigable,  hydraulic  mining  is  here 
unhampered  by  law,  and  extensive  new  enterprises  are  under 
way.  Large  gravel  deposits  are  favorably  situated  for  gold 
dredging,  which  is  assuming  importance  in  this  county. 

Quartz  mining  has  but  recently  begun  to  make  general  prog- 
ress, though  a  number  of  important  gold  mines  have  been 
developed  in  the  past,  notably  the  Brown  Bear  at  Deadwood, 
which  is  reported  to  have   produced  S6,ooo,ooo.     In  numerous 


118  THK    COPPKR    RESOrRCES    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

large  quartz  mining  districts  valuable  mines  have  within  two 
or  three  years  been  developed,  and  there  is  much  mining 
activity  in  spite  of  the  handicap  of  50  to  100  miles  distance 
from  railroad  facilities.  Like  Siskiyou  County,  this  is  an  ideal 
field  for  the  prospector.  One  of  the  most  important  quicksilver 
mines  of  the  State,  the  Altoona,  has  but  recently  ended  a  long 
productive  career.  This  is  the  chief  platinum-producing 
county  of  the  State.  Trinity's  mineral  output  in  1900  was 
$698,689,  of  which  $571,605  was  in  gold. 

The  copper  prospects  of  Trinity  County  are  perhaps  more 
widely  scattered  than  those  of  any  other  county  in  Northern 
California.  They  may  be  grouped,  however,  in  three  districts, 
or  belts,  all  of  which  are  essentially  areas  of  peridotite.  Few 
of  the  prospects  are  of  very  great  magnitude,  and  most  of 
them  are  too  inaccessible  for  present  economical  working. 
Still,  some  of  the  prospects  contain  ore  of  high  grade,  and  at 
least  one  of  them  has  supplied  remunerative  shipments  of  ore. 
The  districts  may  be  designated  as  the  South  Fork,  the  New 
River,  and  the  Trinity  Fork. 

The  South  Fork  district  includes  a  number  of  scattered 
prospects  lying  to  the  east  of  the  South  Fork  of  Trinity  River, 
between  Hyarapome  Valle}'  and  Rattlesnake  Creek.  The  New 
River  district  includes  a  few  prospects  on  the  various  branches 
of  New  River,  some  of  which  have  considerable  merit,  and  if 
the%-  were  more  accessible  would  no  doubt  already  have  been 
worked.  The  Trinity  Fork  district  includes  the  copper  pros- 
pects to  the  north  of  Trinity  Center,  near  Carrville,  and  along 
the  main  branch  of  Trinity  River. 

The  expense  of  working  these  prospects  is  apparent  when  it 
is  remembered  that  the  ordinary  freight  rates  from  Weaverville 
or  Trinity  Center  to  Redding  approaches  $15  per  ton,  while 
the  added  cost  from  the  mines  to  these  points  is  often  large. 
In  spite,  therefore,  of  the  natural  advantages  of  timber  and 
water  power,  copper  mining  in  Trinity  County  has  not  ^et  pro- 
gressed very  far.  The  principal  copper  prospects  of  the  county 
are  the  following: 

SOUTH  FORK  DISTRICT, 

Cold  Creek  Group. — Seven  claims  on  the  Cold  Fork  of 
Indian  \'alley  Creek;  owned  by  J.  R.  Bloom  and  D.  T.  Goe, 
Hyarapome.     The  country  is  exceedingly  rugged.     The  forma- 


TKIMTV    CDINTV — CDl'l'KR    CLAIMS.  119 

tion  is  serpentine  and  diorite.  The  ore  occurs  in  small  bodies 
or  bunches,  consisting  of  quartz  carrying  some  sulphide,  not  of 
high  grade.  Open  cuts  constitute  the  present  developments. 
Water  power  and  timber  are  plentiful. 

Lambert  Group. — Three  locations  on  the  South  Fork  of 
Trinity  River,  near  the  mouth  of  Rattlesnake  Creek;  owned  by 
Washington  Lambert  <S:  Sons,  Hay  Fork.  Ore  forming  small 
veins  of  chalcopyrite  and  pyrite  in  diorite.  Developed  by  short 
tunnels  and  shaft;  sulphiile  of  good  grade. 

Lone  Pine  Group. — Two  claims  situated  in  Sec.  19,  T.  i  N., 
R.  8  E.,  H.  M.,  near  the  mouth  of  Rattlesnake  Creek;  owned 
by  David  Murphy  and  Minnie  B.  Murjihy,  Blocksburg.  Ore 
contains  some  sulphide,  and  occurs  in  diorite.  Some  develop- 
ment work  done. 

Maddox  Group. — Three  claims  on  Cold  Fork  of  Indian 
Valley  Creek;  owned  by  A.  L.  Maddox,  Hay  Fork.  The  for- 
mation is  diorite  and  serpentine.  The  ore  occurs  in  small 
bodies  apparently,  although  but  little  work  has  been  done  to 
show  its  extent.  The  ore  consists  of  oxides,  carbonates,  and 
sulphides  carrying  some  gold,  and  is  said  to  carry  from  5  to  30 
per  cent  of  copper. 

Murphy. — Two  or  more  claims  in  Sec.  36,  T.  i  N., 
R.  7  L.,  H.  M.;  owned  by  Minnie  B.  Murphy  and  David 
Murphy,  Blocksburg.  Developed  by  three  shafts  and  a  tunnel 
some  hundreds  of  feet  long.  The  formation  is  serpentine,  and 
the  ore  occurs  in  veins  of  white  feldspathic  rock  carrying  a 
little  high-grade  oxides,  carbonates,  and  sulphide. 

Pattie.— Three  claims  in  T.  i  S.,  R.  7  K.,  H.  M.;  owned 
by  Wm.  Pattie,  Hay  Fork.     But  little  developed. 

Vine  Oak  Group. — Two  claims  in  Sees.  2  and  35, 
T.  I  N.  and  i  S.,  R.  7  K.,  H.  M.;  owned  by  Ira  P.  Collins, 
Hay  Fork.  Some  development  work  has  been  done.  The  ore 
is  of  fair  grade,  but  in  small  bodies  as  shown  at  present.  The 
country  rock  is  diorite;  the  ore  carries  some  gold. 


120  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

NEW  RIVER   DISTRICT. 

Granite  Group. — Seven  claims  on  Quinby  Creek,  six  miles 
above  its  mouth;  owned  by  F.  C.  Patton,  Frank  Evans,  et  al., 
Weaverville.  The  ore  occurs  in  serpentine  and  slate  at  inter- 
vals along  the  entire  chain  of  claims.  Only  a  little  develop- 
ment work  has  yet  been  done,  though  good  ore  is  found  and 
in  considerable  quantity.  Some  of  the  ore  has  a  value  of  25 
per  cent  in  copper,  with  some  gold.  Facilities  for  mining  are 
good. 

Nonpareil  Group. — Four  claims  on  the  Ea.st  Fork  of  New 
River,  four  miles  above  the  mouth;  owned  by  C.  S.  McAtes, 
Redding.  The  lode  varies  in  width  from  i  to  14  feet,  but  is 
not  traced  for  a  great  distance.  One  tunnel  on  the  property  is 
25  feet  in  length;  not  worked  for  some  years.  The  croppings 
of  gossan  are  said  to  occur  along  the  strike  of  the  lode  for  one 
mile.  The  average  value  of  the  ore  is  said  to  be  about  S  per 
cent  copper. 

TRINITY  FORK  DISTRICT. 

Cinderella  Group. — Two  claims  in  Sec.  9,  T.  37  N.,  R.  7  W., 
M.  U.  M.;  owned  by  P.  A.  Wagner  and  E.  A.  Wagner,  Carr- 
ville.  Developed  by  300  feet  of  tunnels  and  a  shaft  50  feet 
deep.  The  vein  is  reported  to  be  16  feet  in  width.-  The 
country  rock  is  .serpentine.  Some  of  the  ore  carries  10  per 
cent  of  copper.  This  property  joins  the  Copper  Queen  on  the 
north. 

Copper  Button  Group. — Two  or  more  claims  located  in 
Sec.  36,  T.  37  N.,  R.  7  W.,  M.  D.  M.;  owned  by  H.  Z.  Osborne, 
of  Los  Angeles,  and  Thomas  Baker.  Developed  by  short 
tunnels  and  open  cuts.  Ore  occurs  in  connection  with  dikes 
of  quartz  porphyry  in  serpentine,  and  consists  of  oxides,  car- 
bonates, and  sulphides.     It  is  apparently  of  high  grade.     Idle. 

Copper  Queen  Group. — Three  or  more  claims  situated  in 
Sec.  16,  T.  37  N.,  R.  7  W.,  M.  D.  M.;  leased  by  George  H. 
Fitch,  Redding.  This  property  is  developed  by  tunnels  and  a 
shaft.  The  formation  is  serpentine.  The  ore  consists  of  the 
oxides  and  carbonates  of  copper,  with  a  little  sulphide  at  the 
lower  levels. 


OKANITK  GROUP,  TRINITY  COUNTY. 


(I2I) 


122  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Crown  Point  Group. — Three  claims  in  Sec.  i8,  T.  37  N., 
R.  7  W.,  M.  D.  M.;  owned  by  George  L,.  Carr,  Carrville,  and 
others.  No  work  has  yet  been  performed.  The  ore  body  is 
said  to  be  very  wide  and  to  be  otherwise  extensive. 

Eureka  Group. — Two  claims  in  Sees.  17  and  18,  T.  37  N., 
R.  7  \V.,  M.  U.  M.;  owned  by  H.  F.  Dimock,  of  Carrville,  and 
L.  M.  Hoefler  et  al.  The  ore  is  silicious,  carr\'ing  a  small 
percentage  of  copper  sulphide.  The  property  has  50  feet  of 
tunnel. 

LeBlanc  Claim. — One  claim  on  the  south  side  of  Copper 
Creek  near  Carrville;  owned  by  George  LeBlanc,  Carrville. 
Only  small  amount  of  development;  ore  similar  to  that  of  the 
Copper  Queen. 

Shoemaker  Claim. — One  claim  on  East  Fork  of  Trinity 
River;  owned  by  Ed.  Shoemaker,  Trinity  Center.  Small 
development. 

Maitland  Claim. — One  or  more  claims  on  Ramshorn 
Creek,  ten  miles  northeast  of  Carrville;  owned  by  William 
Maitland,  Abrams.     But  little  developed.     Idle. 

OTHER  DISTRICTS. 

Jackson  &  Carter  Group.— Four  claims  in  Sec.  29,  eight 
miles  southeast  of  Hay  Fork;  owned  by  G.  W.  Carter  and 
James  Jackson,  Hay  Fork.  Developed  by  shaft  40  feet  deep. 
The  lode  is  said  to  be  10  to  12  feet  wide,  but  not  traced  for  a 
great  distance  in  length.  Samples  of  the  sulphide  ore  have 
assayed  10  per  cent  or  more  in  copper,  with  some  gold  and 
silver. 

Fortuna  Group. — Consists  of  nineteen  claims  of  unpatented 
land;  owned  by  the  Fortuna  Mining  Company,  C.  Sweet, 
president,  Fortuna.  Situated  live  miles  from  Humboldt 
County  line,  thirty  miles  from  Bridgeville.  Small  amount  of 
development,  but  shows  conspicuous  gossan  croppings;  acces- 
sible from  Fortuna,  Humboldt  County.  This  property  is  near 
the  Copper  Queen  group,  near  the  head  of  Van  Duzeu  River. 
Development  work  is  in  progress. 


CROPPINGS  60  VKKT  WIDK,  ISLAND  MOl'NTAIN  COPI'IIK  MINK 


CROPPINGS  IW  1-KKT  WIDK,  ISLAND  MOVNTAIN  COPl'KR   MLNK. 


(123) 


124  THK    COPPP:r    RKSOURCKS   of   CALIFORNIA. 

Iron  Mountain  Claim. — Consists  of  one  claim,  situated 
three  miles  southeast  of  the  Copper  Queen,  near  the  head  of 
\'an  Duzen  Creek;  developed  only  by  open  cuts;  some  low- 
grade  carbonate  ore  exposed.  Owned  by  Turner  &  Co., 
Dyerville,  Humboldt  County. 

Copper  Queen  Group. — Consists  of  six  claims,  situated  in 
Sees.  lo  and  ii,  T.  i  S.,  R.  6  K.,  H.  M.,  and  thirty-five  miles 
southeast  of  Bridgeville,  Humboldt  County;  owned  by  Joseph 
Hutchens,  Anada,  Trinity  County.  Developed  by  one  40-foot 
tunnel  and  some  open  cuts.  Sulphide  ore  has  been  encoun- 
tered in  the  tunnel,  and  gossan  croppings  are  abundant. 
Development  work  was  in  progress. 

Black  Palangus  Group. — Situated  in  Sec.  36,  T.  i  N., 
R.  6  E.,  H.  M.;  owned  by  Joseph  Hutchens  and  Brothers, 
Anada,  Trinity  County.  Developed  by  open  cut  60  feet  long, 
showing  good  copper  ore,  some  of  it  reported  to  assay  1 7  per 
cent  copper.  Croppings  are  bold,  and  about  20  feet  in  width. 
This  property  is  one  mile  east  of  the  Copper  Queen  group. 

Island  Mountain  Consolidated  Copper  Mine. — This 
important  but  slightly  developed  property,  with  its  quite 
remarkable  outcroppings,  is  situated  ninety  miles  north  of 
Ukiah,  just  over  the  Mendocino  County  line.  It  lies  by 
Eel  River  in  Sees.  9,  10,  and  15,  T.  5  S.,  R.  6  E.,  H.  M.,  in  the 
Horseshoe  district,  and  comprises  seven  claims — the  L,each, 
Shotgun,  Annex,  Island  Mountain,  Merritt,  Gore,  and  Day. 
The  development  work  consists  of  one  cross-cut  tunnel  run- 
ning north  490  feet,  one  running  on  the  vein  northwest  40 
feet,  and  several  open  cuts  across  the  outcrop.  The  croppings 
can  be  traced  for  800  feet,  and  are  in  places  130  feet  wide. 
The  vein  has  a  northwest  and  southeast  trend.  The  southeast 
end  line  starts  on  the  north  bank  of  Eel  River,  and  the  claims 
extend  northwest  diagonally  across  Eake  Mountain  to  the 
south  bank  of  Eel  River,  the  river  making  a  horseshoe  bend. 
The  vein  is  capped  with  large  bowlders  containing  much 
copper  and  iron  sulphides.  Slides  have  occurred  and  many 
bowlders  have  found  their  way  to  the  river-bed,  a  distance  of 
500  to  700  feet.  One  bowlder,  imbedded  about  100  feet  north 
of  the  river  bank,  is  60  feet  across  the  base,  and  is  estimated  to 
contain   4500  tons  of   copper   sulphide  ore.     Large   bowlders 


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(125) 


126  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

have  accumulated  along  the  north  bank  of  Eel  River  for  500 
feet,  and  one  weighing  160  pounds  is  reported  to  have  yielded 
10  ounces  in  gold,  5  ounces  in  silver,  and  4^2  per  cent  in 
copper  per  ton.  The  long  tunnel  was  started  50  feet  north  of 
the  river  bank,  and  extended  across  the  country  rock  490  feet 
with  the  view  of  cutting  the  vein.  This  work  was  done  in 
1899,  by  the  London  Exploration  Company.  No  timbers  were 
put  in.  The  rains  made  the  ground  heavy  and  the  tunnel  is 
now  caved  at  several  places.  In  1900  the  shorter  tunnel  was 
run  40  feet,  and  its  face  is  now  in  solid  sulphide  ore.  As  far 
as  the  vein  is  exposed  on  the  level,  it  has  the  appearance  of 
dipping  into  the  mountain  at  a  very  low  angle.  The  long 
tunnel  has  not  been  extended  far  enough  north  to  penetrate 
the  vein,  providing  it  extends  to  this  level.  The  country  rock 
on  the  hanging  wall  is  soft  sandstone  and  the  foot  wall  calca- 
reous shale.  Several  trenches  from  3  to  5  feet  deep  have  been 
made  across  the  outcrop,  northwest  of  the  490-foot  tunnel, 
showing  the  croppings  to  be  from  60  to  1 30  feet  wide.  The 
water  running  from  the  tunnel  is  highly  impregnated  with 
copper.  The  elevation  at  the  mouth  of  the  long  tunnel  is 
1300  feet,  and  on  Eake  Mountain,  where  the  croppings  cross, 
1700  feet.  The  country  rock  to  the  north,  down  the  slope  of 
Lake  Mountain,  is  composed  of  serpentine  and  sandstone. 
Island  Mountain  is  on  the  south  side  of  Eel  River  and  directly 
opposite  the  claims.  Owner,  Island  Mountain  Consolidated 
Copper  Company,  San  Francisco. 


HrMHOLDT  COrXTY. 


The  scattered  copper  deposits  of  the  Coast  Range  extend,  to 
a  slightly  known  degree,  into  the  coast  county  of  Humboldt, 
which  stretches  for  about  100  miles  along  the  ocean  shore  south 
of  Del  Norte  and  reaches  30  to  40  miles  eastward  into  the  moun- 
tains to  adjoin  Trinity  County.  This  county,  chiefly  famed  for 
its  redwood  lumber  and  dain*'  industries,  is  one  of  the  minor 
mineral-producing  counties  of  the  State,  though  it  has  exten- 
sive undeveloped  mineral  resources.  For  forty  years  it  has 
held  out  the  promise  of  showing  a  large  and  valuable  oil-field 


IIIMHOLDT  corxTY.  127 

neigh l)ori II j:^  the  ocean,  and  on  its  shores  has,  since  earl)'  cla\  s, 
been  the  chief  scene  of  beach  phicer  mining  on  the  Pacific 
Coast.  It  has  nuraerons  coal  de]>osits  of  prospective  vahie. 
Along  the  Klamath,  at  the  northern  end,  some  hydraulic  and 
other  placer  mining  operations  have  proceeded  for  a  great 
many  years. 

A  large  portion  of  the  county,  embraced  in  its  eastern  jxirt, 
is  mineralized  and  depends  mainly  on  its  minerals  for  whatever 
future  industrial  development  it  may  know.  Low-grade 
auriferous  veins  occur.  This  eastern  portion  of  the  county, 
throughout  its  length,  is  in  general  much  broken,  unsettled, 
remote,  difficult  of  access,  and  little  explored  for  minerals.  It 
is  den.sely  forested,  is  full  of  streams,  and  being  on  the  western 
slope,  has  a  heav\-  rainfall.  These  and  other  characteristics  it 
shares  with  western  Trinity.  The  county  has  two  short  local 
railroads  near  the  coast,  but  communication  with  the  outside 
world  is  through  the  harbor  of  Eureka.  The  mountainous 
eastern  portion  is  poorly  supplied  with  roads  and  trails. 

It  is  in  a  region  of  this  nature  that  Humboldt's  known 
copper  deposits  occur,  and  in  their  kind  and  occurrence  they 
resemble  those  of  Del  Norte  and  Trinity  counties.  The  copper 
claims  now  held  may  be  grouped  in  three  districts.  The  best 
known  are  in  the  extreme  northern  part  near  the  Klamath 
River.  At  the  head  of  Red  Cap  Creek,  south  of  the  river  and 
on  a  high  ridge,  are  copper  indications  which  have  caused  con- 
siderable expenditure  in  prospecting  in  the  past  and  which  are 
again  being  explored.  Large  pieces  of  bornite  and  native  cop- 
per occur  as  float.  North  of  the  river,  near  the  headwaters  of 
Camp  Creek,  large  bodies  of  low-grade  ore  are  reported.  Well 
toward  the  .southeastern  portion  of  the  county,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Las.seck  Peak,  are  extensixe  surface  showings  of  copper 
ores.  This  is  northwest  of  the  Mad  River  district  across  the 
line  in  Trinity  County.  West  of  Lasseck  Peak,  and  not  far 
from  the  coast,  are  groups  of  claims  showing  carbonates  and 
but  slight  development.  The  leading  copper  properties  of  these 
districts  are  noted. 

Red  Cap. — This  property  consists  of  57.66  acres  in  Sec.  29, 
T.  ID  N.,  R.  6  E.,  H.  M.  It  is  situated  67  miles  northeast  from 
Eureka,  and  is  reached  ])y  railroad  20  miles  to  Blue  Lake, 
thence  17  miles  to  Blairs  by  wagon-road,  and  thence  30  miles 


128  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFOKXIA. 

by  pack  trail.  In  the  year  iS8o  considerable  work  was  done 
on  the  property  in  running  tunnels,  but  no  vein  has  ever  been 
found  in  place.  Many  specimens  of  native  coi)pcr  have  been 
found  at  the  base  of  the  mountain  in  Roise  and  Red  Cap  creeks. 
The  contact  is  very  prominent  for  the  entire  length  of  prop- 
erty, serpentine  being  the  foot  wall  and  diorite  being  exposed 
on  the  hanging  wall.  Abundance  of  timber  and  wood  is 
growing  on  the  property.  Red  Cap  and  Boise  creeks  afford 
plenty  of  water  for  all  practical  use.  The  elevation  at  the  base 
of  the  mountain  is  450  feet,  and  on  the  ridge,  where  the  con- 
tact is  prominent,  2150  feet.  The  strike  of  the  contact  is 
north.  On  the  w^est  side  of  the  contact,  slides  have  taken 
place  for  several  hundred  feet  down  the  mountain,  and  evi- 
dently the  rich  float  that  has  been  found  on  Red  Cap  and 
Boise  creeks  came  with  the  slides.  The  company  is  now^ 
arranging  to  place  men  at  work  in  a  more  intelligent  manner 
than  heretofore.  Orleans  Bar,  the  nearest  postofflce,  is  seven 
miles  distant.  Owners,  J.  R.  Dollison,  of  the  Eureka  Bank,  and 
others,  Eureka,  Humboldt  County. 

La  Perin  Group. — Joins  the  Red  Cap  mine  on  the  north, 
displays  same  formation,  and  consists  of  ten  mineral  locations 
on  the  strike  of  the  contact,  which  is  north.  When  inspected, 
work  of  preparation  for  running  a  tunnel  was  proceeding. 
Owner,  J.  La  Perin,  Orleans  Bar,  Humboldt  County. 

Red  Lasseck. — Situated  seven  miles  southwest  of  the 
Copper  Queen  group  in  Trinity  County,  in  T.  i  S.,  R.  4  E., 
H.  M.,  and  is  on  the  south  side  of  Lasseck  Creek,  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  5800  feet.  This  is  a  recent  location  and  was  being 
developed  1)>-  an  open  cut.  The  croppings  appear  of  an  oxide 
nature,  reported  to  yield  9  per  cent  in  copper.  The  formation 
of  both  walls  is  serpentine.  The  property  can  be  reached 
over  a  trail  from  Blocksburg,  Humboldt  County,  a  distance  of 
seven  miles.  Owners  C.  B.  Bulger  and  others,  Anada,  Trinity 
County. 

Rainbow  Group. — This  property,  consisting  of  nineteen 
claims,  is  situated  in  the  Mattole  Mining  District,  60  miles 
south  of  Eureka,  in  Sees,  ig,  30,  and  32,  T.  i  S.,  R.  i  E. ;  also 
in  Sees.  12  and  19,  T.  i  vS.,  R.  i  \V.  The  sea  coast  is  14  miles 
west.     The  Eureka  &  Eel  River  Railroad  runs  to  within  30 


TKHAMA.    GLENN,    AND    COI.ISA    COl'NTIKS. 


129 


miles  at  Scotia.  Aljout  the  center  of  these  claims  an  open  cnt 
has  been  extended  60  feet  across,  the  vein  matter  showing 
carbonate  ore  in  many  places  in  the  cut.  Several  trenches  on 
the  outcrop  show  the  same  character  of  ore  for  several  hundred 
feet  along  the  strike  of  the  croppings.  On  the  north  end  of 
this  property  a  creek,  tributary  to  Bear  River,  runs  diagonally 
across  the  property,  and  has  cut  a  deep  gorge  through  the 
veins,  showing  carbonates  somewhat  extensively  100  feet  in 
width.  Wood  and  water  are  plentiful.  A  cross-cut  tunnel 
was  being  run  with  the  expectation  of  tapping  the  ore  body 
200  feet  from  the  surface.  The  property  is  owned  by  an 
incorporated  company  ( C.  S.  Taylor  president,  and  H.  L-  Ford 
secretary )  of  Kureka.  Humboldt  County. 

Crismon  Group —Consists  of  80  acres  of  patented  land; 
joins  the  Rainbow  group  of  mines  on  the  south,  and  is  in 
Sec.  8,  T.  2  S.,  R.  i  E.,  H.  M.  Several  prospect  holes  have 
been  sunk  at  intervals  over  the  80  acres,  and  carbonate  ore 
has  been  found.  When  visited,  sufficient  development  work 
had  not  been  done  to  demonstrate  the  width  of  the  ore,  neither 
could  any  walls  be  traced.  The  same  situation  prevails  as 
at  the  Rainbow  group  as  to  wood,  timber,  and  water. 
A.  H.  Crismon  &  Son,  owners,  Pepperwood,  Humboldt  County. 


TEHAMA.  GL1:XX.  AND  COLUSA  COrXTIES. 

South  of  Shasta  County  and  the  head  of  the  Sacramento 
Valley,  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Coast  Range  is,  for  a  long  dis- 
tance south,  embraced  in  the  western  portions  of  the  three 
large  Sacramento  Valley  counties  of  Tehama,  Glenn,  and 
Colusa,  the  western  boundaries  of  which  are  along  the  range 
summit.  Tehama  reaches  across  to  the  Sierra  slope,  and  the 
others  have  the  Sacramento  River  for  their  eastern  boundaries. 
These  counties  are  preeminently  agricultural  and  horticultural, 
and  have  cut  small  figures  in  the  mineral  industr)-  of  the  State, 
though,  especially  in  the  case  of  Colusa,  this  has  been  because 
varied  and  valuable  mineral  resources  have  been  but  slightly 
exploited.  Their  mineral  resources  are  found  along  the  Coast 
y— BrL.  23 


130  THK   COPPKR    RK;SOrRCES    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Range  slope,  which  dispkiys  similar  topographical,  geological, 
and  other  characteristics  throughout  the  three  counties.  This 
slope  is  fairly  well  watered,  poorly  wooded,  and  slightly  settled, 
except  in  small  fertile  valleys.  The  lower  foothills  through 
the  three  counties  present  a  long  belt  showing  promising 
indications  of  petroleum  and  natural  gas,  which  have  for  many 
years  been  the  subjects  of  more  or  less  prospecting.  Along 
this  slope,  at  higher  altitudes,  various  mineral  substances  have 
long  maintained  attention  that  has  generally  been  unrewarded. 
Nature  has  been  most  generous  with  Colusa  in  this  regard, 
and  its  western  portion  from  valley  plain  to  range  summit 
displays,  besides  oil,  well-known  occurrences  of  quicksilver, 
sulphur,  coal,  mineral  waters,  gold,  copper,  building-stone,  etc., 
many  of  which  are  now  receiving  attention  and  inducing  con- 
siderable investment.  In  1900,  Colusa  produced  some  quick- 
silver and  mineral  water,  Glenn  yielded  no  minerals,  and 
Tehama  was  credited  with  only  brick. 

Through  these  counties  the  known  copper  deposits  are 
ranged  in  a  north  and  south  belt,  high  up  on  the  slope, 
parallel  with  the  range  and  about  50  miles  west  of  the  Sacra- 
mento River.  This  belt  runs  from  the  west-central  part  of 
Tehama  County  .south  through  Glenn  into  the  northeastern 
portion  of  Colusa  County,  whence  it  is  prolonged  into  Lake 
County,  and  its  course  through  the  three  valley  counties  is 
about  60  miles  in  length.  The  deposits  to  be  noted  are  mainly 
in  the  columns  of  townships  numbered  6  and  7  west,  M.  D.  M., 
some  others  lying  in  T.  8  \\\  All  are  but  a  few  miles  below 
the  summit  line.  This  zigzag  line  of  deposits  follows  a  serpen- 
tine belt,  and  the  copper  ores  are  characteristically  found 
inclosed  in  serpentine.  The  copper  exists  in  various  mineral 
forms,  those  most  frequently  noted  being  red  and  black  oxides 
and  carbonates,  while  native  copper  in  the  form  of  float  is 
found  at  various  points.  The  ores  frequently  carry  some  gold, 
and  they  generally  occur  in  narrow  and  often  rich  .seams 
between  layers  of  serpentine,  but  the  deposits  opened  so  far 
have  been  small. 

Copper  deposits  in  Colusa  and  Glenn  counties  were  first  dis- 
covered in  the  early  sixties,  and  this  region  shared  the  general 
copper  excitement  of  that  period.  Two  attempts  at  reduction 
in  small  smelters  in  the  sixties  and  seventies,  respectively,  failed 
because   the  proce.sses  were  not  adapted  to  the  ores,  and   no 


CLAIMS    IX    Tl'.HAMA    AM)    C.I.HNN    C(H  NTIK.S.  13l 

profital)le  or  notable  operations  have  ever  been  con(hicted  in 
these  counties.  Some  sHght  shipments  of  ore  have  been  made 
in  past  years,  and  quite  a  numl)erof  claims  have  been  opened  to 
a  small  extent,  but  all  exploration  to  date  has  been  superficial 
and  little  is  known  of  the  value  of  the  copper  belt  described. 
The  frequent  richness  of  the  ores  suggests  the  probable  worth 
of  a  large  deposit  if  one  were  discovered.  These  deposits 
are  now  causing  considerable  prospecting  activity,  but  little  in 
the  way  of  development.  Those  descriljed  in  the  following 
notes  are  the  chief  ones  now  held  and  known  as  copper 
propositions,  but  they  cover  a  small  part  of  the  mineralized 
belt  in  which  they  belong. 

TEHAMA  COUNTY  DEPOSITS. 

Kestner  &  Thomjison  are  engaged  in  prospecting  a  claim  in 
Sec.  4,  T.  27  X.,  R.  7  \V.  They  have  three  tunnels  5S,  27.  and 
27  feet  long  respectivel\-.  The  vein,  4  to  5  feet  in  width,  is  in 
serpentine.     Now  idle. 

Elder  Creek  Groups.— In  Sec.  20,  T.  25  N.,  R.  7  W., 
and  in  Sees.  9,  10,  15,  and  16,  T.  24  N.,  R.  7  W'.;  comprise 
three  claims  owned  by  W.  Richards,  five  claims  belonging  to 
F.  T.  Notz,  three  claims  to  A.  Henley,  and  three  claims  to 
George  W.  Cooper.  All  show  some  copper  indications,  and  all 
have  but  little  development. 

L.  Iv  Ferine  was  working  on  copper  stringers  in  vSec.  25, 
T.  27  X.,  R.  s  \V. 

White  Bluff  Group.— In  Sees.  4,  5,  S,  and  9,  T.  25  X., 
R.  7  \V.;  belongs  to  B.  X.  Huestis,  of  Red  BlutT.  and  consists 
of  six  claims.  They  are  in  the  chrome  district.  Some  copper 
indications.     Xow  idle.     Slight  development. 

GLENN  COUNTY  DEPOSITS. 

Hudibras  Claim.— In  Sec.  i,  T.  19  X.,  R.  7  \V.  The 
formation  is  serpentine.  A  shaft  6  feet  deep  shows  some 
copper  indications.  Owner,  Briscoe  Oil  and  Mineral  Company. 
The  same  company  owns  land  in  Sees.  2,  11,  12,  and  13, 
whereon  copper  indications  occur. 


132  THK    COPPKR    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

H.  D.  Knight  owns  land  in  Sees.  i8  and  19,  T.  ly  X.,  R.  6  W., 
showing  copper  indications. 

St.  John  Development  Co. — Owns  land  on  which  there 
are  iron-capped  copper  indications  in  Sec.  18,  T.  iS  X  ,  R.  6  W. 

Indications  similar  to  the  above  occur  in  Sees.  12,  13,  and  24, 
T.  18  X..  R.  7  W. 

Black  Buttes  Copper  Claim. — In  Sees.  30  and  31,  T.  24  N., 
R.  8  W.  Owner,  J.  A.  Bedford,  who  is  now  working  the 
prospect.  There  are  here  fine  indications  of  red  oxide  scat- 
tered around  in  bunches,  but  no  vein.  Nothing  is  being  done 
in  this  count}^  farther  north  than  this. 

There  are  the  remains  of  an  old  town,  Peckville,  in  Sec.  18, 
T.  18  N.,  R.  6  W.,  where  in  the  sixties  there  was  a  large 
amount  of  prospecting  for  co]")per  and  gold.  Old  tunnels  and 
shafts  are  frequent.  To  the  north  of  Chrome  Mountain,  two 
miles,  A.  W.  Lehorn  owns  claims  where  there  are  good  copper 
indications;  formation  serpentine.  Development  consists  of  a 
tunnel  200  feet  long.  Large  pieces  of  native  copper  are  here 
found,  some  weighing  about  two  pounds. 

South  from  the  Black  Buttes,  along  Grindstone  Creek,  and 
following  the  creek  25  or  30  miles  to  Stony  Creek,  it  is  all  a 
copper  mineralized  country. 

COLUSA  COUNTY  DEPOSITS. 

Gem  Group. — Located  by  W.  W.  Heard  and  others,  con- 
sisting of  fourteen  claims  in  Sec.  28,  T.  16  N.,  R.  6  W. 
Nearby  are  two  claims  owned  by  Raymond  Houx  and  Edward 
Swinford,  all  showing  indications  of  copper. 

Blackbird.  — Owned  by  C.  L-  Heard  et  al. ;  in  Sees.  19 
and  20,  T.  16  N.,  R.  6  W.  Ledge  is  in  serpentine.  Small 
development. 

Gray  Eagle. — The  most  important  location  in  this  neigh- 
borhood is  owned  by  W.  N.  Heard  and  J.  W.  Simons.  It  lies 
in  Sec.  20,  T.  16  N.,  R.  6  \V.  It  is  developed  by  open  cuts  and 
a  shaft  20  feet  deep.  The  vein  formation  is  of  unknown  width, 
but  a  seam  of  copper-bearing  rock  is  exposed  that  shows  from 


coi.rsA  corNi'v — c<n'ri;K  claims. 


1  :\:i 


iJ>  to  4.S  inches  in  witltli.  This  does  not  yet  appear  lo  have 
much  reguhirit> .  A  tuiniel  run  200  feet  does  not  reach  the 
vein  in  depth.  The  ores  are  native  copper  in  serpentine  and 
red  and  black  oxides.  Along  the  lode  ores  carrying  native 
copi")er  can  l)e  found  as  float. 

Pacific  Claim. — It  is  about  two  miles  southeast  of  the  (iray 
Eagle,  in  Sec.  2S,  T.  16  X.,  R.  6  \\'.  Here  a  shaft  was  sunk 
50  feet  on   a   bunch  of  ore,  which  was  then  all  extracted  and 


GKAV  K.AC.I.H  COPPHR  CI..VI.\I.  COLVS.-V  ColNTV. 


shipped.  There  are  two  other  shafts,  one  25  feet,  the  other 
45  feet  deep.  The  formation  is  .serpentine,  and  the  ores  are 
oxides  of  iron  and  cojiper,  carr>'ing  some  gold. 

There  are  .several  other  ])rospect  holes,  showing  small 
amounts  of  co]iper  ores,  in  T.  16  X.,  R.  6  W. 

Ruby  King  Copper  Mining  and  Townsite  Co.  —  A 
Sacramento  corporation  owns  and  has  opened  eleven  claims 
in  Sees.  29  and  32,  T.  17  X.,  R.  6  W.     Xo  great  development, 


134  THK    COPPER    RESOURCEvS   OK   CALIFORNIA. 

and  no  large  deposits  are  yet  shown.     The  principal  indica- 
tions on  this  group  are  float  copper. 

On  the  ground  of  the  Mark  Hanna  Oil  Company,  in  vSec.  35, 
T.  17  N.,  R.  7  \\'.,  there  are  indications  of  copper  ore. 

Lion  Mine. — On  this  old  property,  the  present  owner  of 
which  is  J.  F.  Easton,  there  has  been  considerable  work  done 
in  the  past. 


MKM)UCL\0  COUNTY. 


Mendocino  County  knows  little  of  the  mineral  industry  in 
any  of  its  forms,  but  carries  various  economic  minerals  in  its 
mountains,  prominent  among  which  is  copper,  of  which  many 
surface  showings  occur.  The  county  occupies  about  85  miles 
of  the  coast  line  south  of  Humboldt,  and  in  its  widest  part 
reaches  60  miles  eastward  to  the  summit  of  the  Coast  Range, 
where  it  meets  the  valle}-  county  of  Cilenn.  Its  southern  half 
shares  the  higher  mountain  region  with  Lake  County.  Mendo- 
cino has  rich  agricultural  valleys,  the  chief  ones  being  those  of 
the  Ivel  and  Russian  rivers.  The  redwood  belt  extends  through 
the  county,  and  luml)ering  is  the  chief  industry.  The  lower 
elevations  afford  extensive  grazing  lands.  Mineral  springs  and 
an  extensive  undeveloped  coal  region  in  the  northern  part  pro- 
vide the  best  known  mineral  features. 

Copper  occurrences  are  sporadic  and  form  no  "belts."  They 
are  found  along  the  eastern  side  of  the  county  and  across  the 
southern  end  to  the  range  nearest  the  coast.  As  elsewhere  in 
this  general  coast  region,  they  var>-  in  nature,  displaying  car- 
bonates most  frequently  and  occurring  in  metamorphic  forma- 
tions. Several  prospects  display  rich  ores  in  small  quantity, 
but  the  prospecting  that  has  been  carried  on  intermittently  for 
many  years  has  not  yet  revealed  any  notable  deposits. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  the  Thomas  property  has 
been  long  prospected  because  of  rich  indications,  but  no  large 
ore  bodies  have  been  found  in  place.  Promising  indications  are 
reported  from  Potter  \'alley  in  the  east  central  part.     Most  of 


MKXDociNo  corxTY — c<>i'I'i:k  claims.  135 

the  known  jiros|)ects  arc  in  the  sonthern,  and  especially  the 
southeastern  portion,  south  and  east  of  Ukiah,  the  county 
seat,  near  the  Lake  County  boundary. 

Thomas. — On  Bralt  ridge,  at  the  edge  of  Kden  X'alley, 
lifty-five  miles  north  of  Ukiah  and  three  miles  south  of  Carey. 
A  mass  of  rich  sulphides  of  iron  and  copper  has  cau.sed  con- 
siderable prospecting  in  search  of  a  vein,  which  has  not  been 
found. 

Native  Copper. — On  Red  Mountain,  twelve  miles  southeast 
of  I'kiah.  A  shallow  cut  shows  a  stratum  of  serpentine  about 
3  feet  wide,  carrying  native  copper  and  copper  minerals.  The 
stratum  is  inclosed  in  serpentine.     Abandoned. 

Red  Mountain  Group. — Four  claims,  ten  miles  southeast  of 
Ukiah,  in  vSec.  23,  T.  15  X.,  R.  11  W.  Apparently  two  veins 
exist.  The.se  claims  were  located  in  1890,  and  relocated  from 
time  to  time.  The  formation  is  principally  .serpentine.  One 
claim  is  developed  by  an  open  cut  and  cross-cut  tunnel. 
Several  small  bunches  of  ore  have  been  found  in  the  cut,  show- 
ing green  carbonates  and  metallic  copper.  An  adjoining  claim 
is  developed  by  two  shafts  100  feet  and  50  feet  deep  and  by 
an  incline.  From  one  shaft,  above  the  50-foot  level,  bunches 
of  carbonate  ore  were  taken  out  in  1S96.  One  ton  of  ore 
shipped  to  vSan  Francisco  yielded  $12  in  excess  of  transporta- 
tion and  working  charges.  The  shaft  was  extended  to  the 
loo-foot  level,  showing  no  ore,  the  bottom  being  in  broken 
sandstone  and  clay.  From  an  incline  several  tons  of  low-grade 
ore  have  been  taken  out.  Other  openings  have  yielded  nothing 
of  interest.  The  property  has  remained  idle  since  1896.  The 
company  was  arranging  to  resume  operations  by  starting  a 
cross-cut  tunnel  on  the  east  side  of  the  mountain  to  cut  the 
vein  200  to  300  feet  below  the  old  workings.  Owners,  Huff  & 
Gibson,  Ukiah. 

Ogle. — This  mine  is  situated  in  the  Anderson  Valley  district, 
comprises  2000  acres  of  patented  land,  in  T.  13  N.,  R.  12  W., 
and  joins  the  Redwood  Copper  Queen  mine  on  the  north. 
Recently  this  land  was  bonded  to  Cloverdale  people.  A  shaft 
16  feet  deep  on  the  center  of  the  claim  exposed  carbonate  ore. 
Not  enough  work  has  been  done  to  demonstrate  the  width  of  the 


136  THK    COPPKR    RP:SOURCEvS   of   CALIFORNIA. 

vein  or  the  formation  of  the  walls.  Go.s.san  2  to  3  feet  wide 
can  be  traced  for  one  mile  through  the  claim.  It  was  the 
reported  intention  of  the  parties  having  the  option  to  erect  a 
horse-whim  and  explore  the  property  to  deeper  levels.  The 
conditions  attending  the  Redwood  Copper  Queen  obtain. 
Owners,  Ogle  Brothers,  Ornbaun,  Mendocino  County. 

McGimpsey. — In  Sees.  17,  13,  and  iS,  T.  13  N.,  R.  12  W., 
fifteen  miles  southwest  of  Ukiah,  comprising  eight  full  claims. 
Four  shallow  open  cuts  measure  the  prospecting  done.  The 
formation  is  serpentine.  The  open  cuts  have  exposed  con- 
siderable copper  stains  and  in  a  few  places  some  red  oxide  of 
copper  mixed  with  oxide  of  iron.  The  work  so  far  shows  no 
vein  or  fissure,  only  an  irregular  diflfusion  of  cupriferous  material 
through  the  mass  of  eruptive  rocks.  Parties  were  arranging  to 
explore  the  property  on  a  deeper  level  bj'  running  a  cross-cut 
tunnel  on  the  west  slope  of  the  hill.  Owner,  C.  P.  McGimpsey, 
Ukiah. 

Pieta. — One  claim,  ten  miles  northeast  of  Cloverdale,  four 
miles  from  the  Sonoma  County  line.  It  is  developed  by  an 
open  cut  55  feet  across  the  vein  matter.  Croppings  can  be 
traced  through  the  claim,  the  strike  of  the  mine  being  east. 
The  ore  carries  a  slight  trace  of  carbonate  of  copper,  the  gangue 
matter  is  mostly  magnetic  iron,  and  serpentine  is  the  formation 
of  both  walls.  Only  assessment  work  has  been  done.  Owners, 
J.  G.  Caldwell  et  al.,  Healdsburg,  Sonoma  County. 

Redwood  Copper  Queen. — Consists  of  840  acres  of 
patented  land  in  Sees.  17  and  20,  T.  12  N.,  R.  13  \V.,  M.  D.  M., 
and  is  thirty -five  miles  southeast  of  Ukiah.  The  development 
work  consists  of  nearly  200  feet  of  tunneling  to  a  point  in  the 
vein  where  a  chamber  has  been  excavated  16  feet  square, 
exposing  sulphide  ore.  Two  winzes  have  been  sunk  at  this 
point,  100  and  36  feet  respectively.  The  vertical  loo-foot 
wdnze  was  started  near  the  foot  wall,  and  sulphide  ore  exposed 
the  entire  depth.  The  foot  wall  having  been  encountered  at 
this  level,  work  was  then  abandoned,  and  a  second  winze 
started.  It  is  on  an  incline  of  65  degrees  northeast  and  show- 
ing sulphide  ore.  The  lode  is  very  much  broken,  and  the 
walls  very  irregular,  caused  doubtless  by  faults  that  are  promi- 
nent on  the  surface.  The  walls  on  the  tunnel  level  are 
respectively  broken  porphyry  and  sandstone.     A  gossan  cap- 


MKN'DOCINO    CorxTV — COl'PHK    CLAIMS. 


137 


ping  2  to  4  feet  wule  can  be  traced  one  mile  through  the 
proi^rty.  The  surface  soil  is  in  some  places  from  6  to  H  feet 
deep.     The  ore  carries  gold,  silver,  green  and  blue  carbonates, 


Ti, .    ,<;.i-'. 


KKDWOOn  COPPHk  Ql-KKN  MINI-,    Mi: NDOCINO  COrXTY. 

black  and  red  oxides,  gray  copper  and  copper  pyrites,  and  250 
tons  of  ore  are  now  stored  on  the  dumps.  The  company  is  a 
San  Francisco  corporation.  W.  P.  Ferguson,  president; 
Thomas  Mellersh,  secretary  and  treasurer,  San  Francisco. 


138  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES    OK    CALIFORNIA. 

LAKE  COUNTY. 


Lying  wholly  within  the  Coast  Ranges,  with  the  line  divid- 
ing the  watersheds  of  the  Sacramento  River  and  the  Pacific 
for  its  eastern  boundary,  inclosed  between  two  ranges  and 
containing  an  especially  rugged  portion  of  this  mountain  sys- 
tem. Lake  County  has  varied  mineral  resources,  though  its 
mineral  output  is  relativeh'  small.  Its  many  scenic  attrac- 
tions have  made  it  called  a  little  Switzerland.  It  is  a  region 
of  much  and  recent  volcanic  action.  It  has  many  mineral 
springs,  some  of  which  are  famous  resorts,  and  by  these  Lake 
County  is  mainly  known  to  the  outside  world.  Cinnabar  is 
its  chief  mineral  resource,  and  it  is  now  one  of  the  important 
quicksilver  counties.  Its  other  minerals  are  gold,  silver, 
copper,  borax,  sulphur,  asbestos,  chrome,  natural  gas,  etc. 

The  cupriferous  belt  passing  through  Tehama,  Glenn,  and 
Colusa  counties  reaches  into  Lake  at  the  north.  Here,  near 
the  head  of  Little  Indian  Valley,  a  mineralized  belt  carrying 
copper  extends  several  miles,  and  at  one  time  there  was  quite 
a  copper  excitement  caused  by  the  finding  of  large  pieces  of 
native  copper  and  rich  oxide  ores.  The  Lyon  property  gave 
rich  prospects  and  several  thousand  dollars  were  lost  in  an  ill- 
managed  attempt  to  smelt  the  ores.  Copper  is  elsewhere 
mainly  found  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  county  below 
Clear  Lake,  and  in  the  central  west  near  the  head  of  Clear 
Lake  and  across  the  line  from  the  chief  copper  occurrences  of 
Mendocino  County.     Three  properties  are  noted. 

Copper  Prince  Mining  Co.  —  Property  consists  of  three 
claims,  four  miles  northwest  of  Middletown,  in  Sec.  19, 
T.  II  X.,  R.  7  \\'.,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county.  Devel- 
oped mainly  by  one  tunnel  and  two  open  cuts  on  the  vein, 
showing  the  vein  to  be  from  6  to  8  feet  wide,  with  limestone 
walls.  Heavy  gossan  can  be  traced  through  the  claims.  The 
company  was  surveying  on  the  north  slope  of  the  ridge  pre- 
paratory to  starting  a  tunnel  with  the  view  of  cutting  the  vein 
on  deeper  levels.  The  ore  on  the  tunnel  level  is  impregnated 
with  blue  and  green  carbonates,  and  is  reported  to  assay  5  per 
cent  in  copper.  S3  in  gold  and  i  ounce  of  silver.  President, 
E.  Lobree;  Secretary,  J.  C.  Ruddock,  Ukiah. 


I.AKK    CorNTV— NAPA    COUNTY.  1^9 

Christiansen  Tract.— This  cumprises  294  acres  in  T.  13  N., 
R.  7  W.,  and  is  three  miles  south  of  Clear  Lake.  Considerable 
float  has  been  toutid  on  the  low  lands,  evidently  coming  from 
the  high  ridges  that  are  somewhat  prominent  throughout  the 
tract.  Several  pieces  of  the  float  have  been  assayed,  and  are 
reported  to  contain  65  per  cent  copper.  In  1879  a  tunnel  was 
run  about  the  center  of  the  ranch,  112  feet  north  on  a  contact 
of  serpentine  and  limestone,  but  no  vein  was  found  in  place. 
Owner,  Peter  Christianson. 

Poe  Claim.— Seven  miles  north  oi  Lakeport,  in  vSec.  27, 
T.  15  X..  R.  10  W.,  a  shaft  of  35  feet  was  sunk  and  a  tunnel 
of  65  feet,  now  caved,  was  run  in  1S70.  In  1900  parties 
relocated  and  ran  an  open  cut  25  feet  long  on  the  south  end 
croppings.  The  vein  is  5  feet  wide,  in  a  serpentine  belt,  and 
shows  a  light  trace  of  carbonates.  There  are  ten  sulphur 
springs  at  the  north  end  of  the  property.  Owners,  H.  B. 
Wells,  A.  Smythe,  and  James  Lee,  Lakeport. 


NAPA  COrX  TY. 


Napa  County  is  one  of  the  most  favored  and  fertile  counties 
of  the  Coast  Range  region.     It  lies  south  of  Lake  County  and 
east  of  Sonoma,  and  reaches  south  to  San  Pablo  Bay.     Topo- 
graphically it    is    mainly  composed  of  the    rich  and  populous 
Napa  Valley  and  of  two   flanking   mountain  ranges.     At  the 
head  of   Napa  \'alley,  at   the   northern  end  of  the  county,  is 
Mount  St.  Helena,  altitude  4343  feet,  the  highest  point  in  this 
part  of   the  Coast  Range.     Napa  is  mainly  a  fruit,  grain,  and 
vine-growing  county,  but  it  also  posses.ses  a  variety  of  mineral 
resources,  those  of  greatest  present  importance  being  quick- 
silver  and    mineral    waters.     In  the  northern  portion  of  the 
county  are  some  of  the  important  quicksilver  mines  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  some  of    its    mineral   springs  are  widely  known. 
Other    mineral    resources    are    gold,    silver,    chromium,    iron, 
manganese,    and    building-stone.       In     1900   Napa    County's 
mineral  output  amounted  to  $493,100,  and  in  1899  to  $701,416. 
Copper   occurs  sporadically,  as  in   adjoining   counties.     Two 
deposits  are  noted. 


140  thp:  coppkk  kp:soi'rces  of  California. 

Napa  Copper  Claim. — One  claim,  situated  thirteen  miles 
south  of  Middletown,  in  Sec.  17,  T.  10  N.,  R.  5  \V.;  developed 
by  a  cross-cut  tunnel  south  400  feet.  A  gossan  capping  can 
be  seen  through  the  entire  plain.  Several  years  back  a  shaft 
was  sunk  50  feet  on  the  west  end  of  the  plain,  and  reported  to 
have  encountered  .several  bunches  of  high-grade  sulphide  ore. 
Recently  a  new  corporation  was  organized,  and  work  was 
resumed.  A  700-foot  tunnel  was  started  on  the  north  side  of 
the  mountain  with  the  view  of  cutting  the  vein  300  feet  from 
the  surface.  When  visited  work  was  temporarily  suspended, 
with  the  tunnel  at  400  feet.  The  country  formation  is  serpen- 
tine. Owners,  Napa  Copper  Company — Owen  Wade,  president ; 
T.  A.  Taylor,  secretary,  6t.  Helena. 

Search  Group. — This  property  consists  of  eight  continuous 
claims,  seventeen  miles  north  of  Napa,  in  Sec.  5,  T.  6  N., 
R.  5  W.  Very  little  work  has  been  done.  There  has  never 
been  any  vein  found  in  place,  although  considerable  float, 
consisting  of  sulphides,  has  been  picked  up  on  the  slope  of  the 
mountain.  The  formation  is  serpentine.  Several  years  ago 
several  cross-cut  tunnels  were  run  north,  but  were  not  extended 
far  enough  to  encounter  the  vein.  The  capping  has  an  east 
and  west  trend,  is  2  to  4  feet  wide,  and  is  sprinkled  with  blue 
and  green  carbonates.  No  work  is  now  being  done.  Owner, 
E.  F.  Rossan,  Glen  Ellen. 


SONOMA  COUNTY. 


Quite  a  number  of  copper  deposits  of  minor  importance,  as 
far  as  developed,  are  found  in  the  bay  county  of  Sonoma, 
which  lies  for  nearly  60  miles  along  the  sea  south  of  Mendocino, 
extends  back  some  40  miles  to  the  summit  of  the  main  Coast 
Range,  opens  on  vSan  Pablo  Bay  at  its  south,  and  leaves  the 
small  county  of  Marin  occupying  the  peninsula  opposite  San 
Francisco.  The  county  is  traversed  by  .several  low  north-and- 
south  ranges,  and  possesses  some  of  the  largest  and  most 
famous  of  the  horticultural  and  agricultural  valleys  of  the 
State.  These  fertile  valleys  are  the  chief  fountains  of  its  life 
and   wealth.     The  redwood  belt  near  the  coast    supports   an 


SONOMA    COINTV — COPPKK    CLAIMS.  Ml 

extensive  lumber  industry.  ()t  minerals,  the  county  possesses 
a  variety,  quicksilver  and  mineral  waters  being  the  only  ones 
commercially  i^roduced.  There  are  slight  occurrences  of  gold 
and  silver,  and  scattered  deposits  of  iron,  coal,  manganese, 
mineral  paint,  chrome,  clays,  building-stones,  etc. 

The  coi^per  ores  discovered  form  no  connected  belt,  Init  occur 
within  two  vertical  tiers  of  townships  through  the  central 
region  of  the  county.  The  occurrences  are  similar  to  those  of 
adjacent  coast  counties.  vSeveral  prospects  have  been  opened 
by  superficial  shafts,  tunnels,  and  cuts,  a  few  tons  of  ore  taken 
out  and  slight  experimental  shipments  made  in  past  years. 
vSeveral  proi^rties  have  lately  been  re-opened. 

Wall  Tract. — Consists  of  200  acres  of  patented  land  five 
miles  southwest  of  Santa  Rosa,  in  vSec.  30,  T.  8  N.,  R.  9  W. 
vSeveral  pieces  of  rich  copper  float  have  been  found  on  the 
tract,  but  as  yet  no  vein  in  place.  A  shaft  10  feet  deep  has 
shown  native  quicksilver.  Owner  plans  investigating  copper 
possibilities  at  some  depth.  Owner,  II.  C.  Wall,  Hilton, 
vSonoma  County. 

Archer  Tract.— This  tract  joins  the  Wall  tract  on  the 
north,  and  comprises  288  acres  of  patented  land  in  T.  8  N., 
R.  9  W.  In  1880,  considerable  rich  float  was  found  and 
shipped,  and  two  tunnels  run  north  on  the  contact.  250  feet 
apart,  for  a  distance  of  200  feet.  No  vein  was  found  in  place. 
The  tunnels  were  abandoned  and  are  now  caved  in.  Interest 
was  lately  renewed,  owing  to  rich  float  being  again  found.  The 
owner  was  arranging  to  sink  a  series  of  prospect  holes  on  the 
tract  to  see  if  a  vein  cati  be  found  in  place.  The  formation  is 
serpentine  and  sandstone.  Owner,  J.  H.  Archer,  Healdsburg, 
Sonoma  County. 

Healdsburg-  Lode. — One  claim,  ten  miles  north  of  Healds- 
burg. on  Black  Mountain,  in  vSec.  31,  T.  11  N.,  R.  9  W.  A 
very  prominent  gossan  cropping  extending  several  feet  above 
the  surface  runs  through  the  claim.  The  property  was  opened 
seventeen  years  ago  by  a  tunnel  which  penetrated  nothing  but 
limestone.  The  owners  were  running  a  cross-cut  tunnel  on 
the  west  slope  of  the  mountain,  with  a  view  of  cutting  the  vein 
100  feet  from  the  surface.     The  elevation  on  the  summit  of 


142  THE    COPPEK    KESOURCES   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Black  Mountain  is  2500  feet.     Develojiing.     Owners,  lul.  Ellis 
and  J.  G.  Caldwell,  Healdsburg. 

Grizzly  Claim. — This  property,  ten  miles  northwest  of 
Healdsburg,  is  situated  on  Pine  Creek,  in  T.  9  X.,  R.  10  W., 
and  was  recently  relocated.  Croppings,  principally  quartz, 
carr>-  copper  stains.  Old  works  consist  of  two  caved  tunnels 
on  the  south  slope  of  the  mountain  200  feet  apart,  running 
west  100  feet.  The  owners  were  preparing  to  open  the  lower 
tunnel  with  the  view  of  extending  1 00  feet,  to  get  under  the 
croppings.  The  formation  is  sandstone  on  the  north  and  ser- 
pentine on  the  south.    Owners,  C.  F.  Brandt  et  al.,  Healdsburg. 

Ward  Tract. — Consists  of  591  acres  of  patented  land, 
five  miles  west  of  Healdsburg,  in  Sec.  22,  T.  9  X.,  R.  10  \\\ 
Gossan  croppings  can  be  followed  for  one  mile  eastward 
through  the  tract  along  a  contact  of  limestone  and  .serpentine. 
Some  very  rich  copper  float  has  been  found  on  the  tract,  but  no 
vein  has  been  discovered  in  place.  Developments,  one  shallow 
cut.     Owner,  J.  W.  Ward,  Healdsburg. 

Altamont  Group. — This  property  is  eighteen  miles  north- 
west of  Santa  Rosa,  in  Sec.  17,  T.  7  X..  R.  10  \V.  It  is  a 
recent  location,  and  is  developed  by  an  open  cut  and  shaft. 
The  croppings  consist  of  a  gossan  capping  several  hundred 
feet  in  length,  which  exposes  a  vein,  5  feet  wide,  of  copper 
carbonates.  Owners  were  preparing  to  drive  a  tunnel  from 
face  of  open  cut  100  feet,  to  give  So  feet  of  backing.  The 
formation  on  both  sides  of  capping  is  serpentine.  At  the  end 
of  the  open  cut  a  shaft  has  been  sunk  15  feet  vertically  on  the 
vein  matter,  but  is  now  filled  with  water.  Owners,  J.  I). 
Connelly,  James  Owens,  H.  M.  LeBaron,  Occidental,  Sonoma 
County. 

Baby  Jack  and  Earl  Clare. — Situated  seven  miles  north- 
west of  Healdsburg  and  two  miles  west  of  Dry  Creek,  in 
T.  9  X.,  R.  10  W.  In  1875  these  claims  were  worked  and 
several  tons  of  copper  ore  shipped  to  San  Francisco.  Later, 
they  were  abandoned  and  relocated  from  time  to  time.  The 
Baby  Jack  is  developed  by  a  35-foot  tunnel  at  the  south  end, 
on  the  strike  of  the  outcrop,  the  face  giving  about  35  feet  of 
backs.     About  the  center  of  the  claim  a  vertical  shaft  has  been 


MA  KIN    CorNTV.  143 

sunk  22  feet  on  the  vein.  The  gangue  of  the  vein  is  princi- 
pally qudTtz  carrying  no  copper  sulphides,  hut  stained  some- 
what with  blue  and  green  carbonates.  The  formation  on  the 
east  is  limestone,  on  the  west  serpentine.  Considerable  timber 
is  growing  on  the  claims.  Only  as.se.ssment  work  is  now  being 
performed.     Owner,  C.  C.  Kchlin,  Santa  Rosa. 


MAKIX  COrXTY. 


The  small  coast  county  of  Marin,  lying  across  the  Golden 
Gate  from  San  Francisco,  presents  a  few  small  copper  deposits 
among  its  slightly  developed  mineral  resources,  which  include 
oil,  gas,  small  seams  of  coal,  iron,  manganese,  chrome,  build- 
ing-stones, and  clays.  Brick  and  rubble  are  the  only  current 
mineral  products.  Nearly  forty  years  ago  two  copper  deposits 
close  to  the  shore,  between  Mount  Tamalpais  and  Bolinas  Bay, 
were  opened  by  tunnels  and  later  abandoned.  One,  in  Union 
Gulch  about  three  miles  north  of  Bolinas,  was  opened  in  1863 
by  the  Union  Copper  Mining  Company,  which  shipped  several 
tons  of  ore  for  reduction.  Efforts  to  develop  a  profitable 
supply  of  ore  lasted  seven  years.  In  1863  the  Pike  County 
Gulch  Copper  Mining  Company  opened  another  mine  a  mile 
south  of  the  Union  in  Pike  Gulch.  During  three  years  a 
700-foot  tunnel  was  run,  but  the  enterprise  was  abandoned. 
In  this  neighborhood  there  is  a  4-foot  vein  cropping  carrying 
iron  pyrites  and  covering  low-grade  copper  ore.  The  ores  in 
these  deposits  occur  in  \eins,  associated  with  (juartz  and  lying 
in  metamorphic  sandstone. 

Bolinas  Copper  Mining  Co. — This  company  has  recently 
been  exploiting  a  copper  property  in  the  region  described,  four 
miles  northeast  of  Bolinas  Bay,  in  Sec.  i,  T.  i  N.,  R.  8  \V.,  and 
twenty  miles  from  vSan  Francisco.  The  property  consists  of 
nine  parallel  copper-bearing  veins  encased  in  serpentine.  The 
veins  trend  northwest,  are  vertical,  and  are  from  6  inches  to 
2  feet  in  width.  On  the  western  vein  a  shaft  has  been  sunk 
180  feet,  and  from  it  2500  feet  of  drifts  have  been  driven  north 
and   south   on   the    100-    and    180-foot    levels.     The    shaft  is 


144  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

equipped  with  a  good  thirty-horse-power  hoisting  plant.  A 
building  50  by  100  feet  in  size,  to  contain  a  concentrating 
plant,  has  been  erected.  The  machinery  thus  inclosed  consists 
of  a  set  of  Cornish  rolls,  a  rock-crusher,  two  concentrators  of 
the  Springer  type,  and  engine  and  boilers.  Now  idle.  In 
former  times,  short  tunnels  were  run  on  the  veins  to  test  their 
values,  but  now  these  tunnels  are  caved.  About  200  tons  of  ore 
is  stored  on  the  dumps  and  is  reported  to  contain  from  5  to  10 
per  cent  of  copper.  The  owner  is  the  Bolinas  Copper  Min- 
ing Company;  T.  P.  H.  Whitelaw,  president  and  manager, 
No.  253  Spear  Street,  vSan  Francisco. 


ALAMEDA   COUNTY. 


Alameda,  a  rich  and  populous  county  lying  on  the  eastern 
side  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  made  up  topographicalh*  of  fertile 
valleys  and  low  ranges  of  the  Coast  system,  has  quite  recently 
added  copper  to  the  list  of  economic  minerals  counted  among 
its  resources.  It  has  for  some  time  possessed  the  largest  and 
best  developed  coal  mine  of  the  State,  the  Tesla  mine  at  Corral 
Hollow,  and  it  has  been  an  important  i)roducer  of  salt,  man- 
ganese, clays,  building  and  paving  stones,  etc.  Recently  a 
copper-bearing  lode  was  discovered  a  few  miles  east  of  the  bay 
shore,  close  to  the  city  of  Oakland  and  directly  across  the  bay 
from  San  Francisco.  An  exposition  of  it  is  contained  in  the 
following  descriptions  of  the  two  properties  in  which  develop- 
ment has  occurred: 

Alma  Mine. — This  property  embraces  over  80  acres  of  land 
belonging  to  the  Boehmer  ranch,  four  miles  east  of  Broad- 
way, Oakland.  Its  present  development  has  been  under- 
taken by  the  Stauffer  Chemical  Company  of  San  Francisco, 
and  consists  of  about  600  feet  of  tunnels,  with  some 
unimportant  shafts  and  open  cuts.  The  ore  body  thus  far 
explored  forms  a  shoot  of  solid  pyritic  ore  ("black  pyrites"), 
apparently  lenticular  in  shape,  having  a  thickness  of  1 2  to  1 8 
feet.  The  other  dimensions  of  the  shoot  have  not  yet  been  shown, 
but  it  has  been  followed  for  more  than  100  feet  along  its  strike 


AI.AMKDA    CtUNTV — Col'l'llK    CLAIMS.  145 

ill  a  northwesterly  and  southeasterly  course.  Other  shoots 
have  been  proved,  hut  not  yet  explored,  in  the  near  neighbor- 
hood. They  occur  along  a  zone  or  belt  of  indefinite  \vi<lth. 
ranging  with  the  strike  of  the  ore  and  crossing  the  canon  of 
Redwood  Creek.  The  belt  has  been  traced  for  a  distance  of 
about  3000  feet,  including  the  deposits  of  this  and  the  follow- 
ing property.  The  whole  amount  of  ore  available  upon  this 
])roi>erty  is  very  great.  The  ore  zone  follows  very  nearly  along 
the  line  of  contact  between  serpentine  and  a  silicious  rock 
resembling  a  metamorphosed  "chert.  Croppings  of  gossan 
also  occur  outside  of  the  direct  line  of  the  main  ore  zone.  The 
ore  from  this  mine  consists  of  the  simple  sulphide  of  iron  and 
copper,  the  j^ercentage  of  copper  being  low.  ranging,  it  is  said, 
between  i  '2  and  3I2  per  cent,  and  carrying  gold  to  the  value 
of  about  $2. 50  per  ton.  The  ore  is  mined  chiefly  for  its  con- 
tents of  sulphur,  of  which  it  carries  about  45  to  50  per  cent. 
A  representative  analysis  of  the  ore  is  given  by  the  Stauflfer 
Chemical  Company,  as  follows:  vSulphur,  about  50  per  cent; 
copper.  3  per  cent;  gold,  S2.50,  and  silver  one  ounce  per  ton; 
silica,  traces;  balance,  iron.  The  ore  is  shipi>ed  from  the  mine 
directly  to  the  acid  works  of  the  Staufifer  Chemical  Company, 
or  to  suppl\'  the  demands  of  other  chemical  companies  depend- 
ing upon  the  use  of  pyritic  ores  for  their  source  of  sulphur. 
The  Peyton  Chemical  Company  of  San  P'rancisco  is  a  large 
consumer.  About  60  tons  of  ore  is  being  shipped  daily  from 
the  mine  at  the  present  time.  It  is  proposed  to  extract  the 
copper  from  the  roasted  ore  by  a  process  of  leaching.  This 
mine  is  imj^ortant.  not  only  for  the  present  and  jirosjiective 
value  it  contains  within  itself,  but  from  the  fact  that  its 
development  opens  up  the  jirobability  of  still  other  similar 
deposits  in  this  region,  where  similar  geological  conditions  are 
not  uncommon. 

Leona  Heights  Mine. — To  the  .south  of  the  Alma  mine 
and  on  the  strike  of  its  ore-bearing  zone,  is  the  mine  owned 
and  operated  by  the  California  Improvement  Company,  under 
control  of  the  Realty  vSyndicate  of  Oakland,  of  which 
F.  M.  Smith  is  president.  The  ore  body  of  this  mine  is  simi- 
larly situated  and  is  similar  in  character  to  that  of  the  preced- 
ing property.     It  is  developed  by  about  200  feet  of  tunnels, 

](>— BiL.  23 


146  THE   COPPER   RESOURCEvS   OF  CALIFORNIA. 

showing  a  shoot  of  ore  about  12  feet  in  thickness.  The  crop- 
pings  of  gossan  (limonite)  are  very  conspicuous  at  the  surface. 
The  ore  will  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  sulphuric  acid,  or 
sold  to  supply  the  demand  for  such  ores  among  the  various 
chemical  companies  in  the  vicinity  of  San  Francisco. 


MRRCED  C(  )UX  lY. 


Jose  Copper  Claim. — Located  in  the  Coast  Range  in 
Sec.  4,  T.  14  N.,  R.  9  E.,  about  thirty-five  miles  east  of  Hollis- 
ter,  the  nearest  railroad  station.  The  development  has 
exposed  quite  a  body  of  ore,  but  so  far  the  ledge  has  not  been 
located.  There  is  a  tunnel  500  feet  long,  but  little  ore  was 
encountered.  A  30-foot  shaft  was  sunk  and  a  drift  run  about 
60  feet,  exposing  a  good  body  of  copper  ore.  The  ore  was 
chalcopyrite,  running  high  in  gold  and  silver  values.  Idle. 
R.  Jose,  of  HoUister,  owner. 

The  Victor  Bonanza  Group. — Located  in  Sees.  30  and  31, 
T.  13  S.,  R.  TO  W.,  and  Sees.  14,  15,  16,  23,  24,  and  25,  T.  13  S., 
R.  9  \V.,  sixteen  miles  .southwest  of  Dos  Palos,  and  thirty-five 
miles  southeast  of  Hollister.  The  croppings  show  a  mineral- 
ized belt  extending  five  or  six  miles,  and  varying  from  100  to 
200  feet  in  width.  Native  copper  and  chalcopyrite  are  found 
frequent!}-  in  the  croppings.  The  formation  is  sandstone  and 
porphyry.  The  ledge  matter  is  quartz.  Practically  no  devel- 
opment has  been  done,  but  the  surface  indications  are  good. 
M.  T.  Dooling,  of  Hollister,  is  president  of  the  company. 


SAN  BENITO  COUNTY. 


Lewis  Creek  Claim.— The  property  is  located  on  Lewis 
Creek,  the  southern  boundary  of  San  Benito  County.  It  is  six- 
teen miles  from  King  City,  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad, 
and  in  Sees.  2,  3,  and  4,  T.  19  S.,  R.  10  W.     The  development 


SAN    Ll'IS   OBISPO   COUNTY— COl'PKR    CLAIMS.  147 

consists  of  a  loofooi  tunnel,  which  was  intended  to  uip  the 
ledKC  but  missed  it.  Nothing  could  l)e  learned  further  than 
what  could  be  determined  from  the  croppings.  The  croppings 
may  be  traced  for  four  miles.  The  ore  is  chiefly  chalcopyrite. 
The  formation  is  sandstone  and  serpentine.  O.  W.  Silencer,  of 
Hollister.  and  F.  W.  Sallel,  of  Lonoak,  owners. 


S.W  HIS  OlilSPO  corxTY. 


Los  Osos  Mine.— Located  eight  miles  .southwest  of  San 
Luis  Obispo,  and  on  the  south  side  of  Los  Osos  Valley.  The 
mine  was  worked  forty  years  ago,  and  the  ore  hauled  by  wagon 
to  Port  Harford  and  shipped  to  Swansea.  Recently  15  tons 
were  shipped  to  San  Francisco,  and  gave  a  fair  profit.  There 
is  a  good  wagon  road  from  the  mines  to  San  Luis  Obispo. 
The  ore  occurs  in  a  porphyritic  vein  in  sandstone  and  shales. 
A  shaft  230  feet  deep  was  sunk  on  the  ledge,  a  tunnel  235  feet 
long  was  run  to  the  bottom  of  the  shaft,  and  good  ore  was 
found  in  the  shaft  and  the  tunnel.  The  works  were  not  prop- 
erly protected  and  were  allowed  to  cave  in.  consequently  all 
observations  had  to  be  made  from  the  surface.  Estate  of  J.  M. 
Cleaves,  San  Francisco,  owner. 

Tiptop  Claim.— Located  ten  miles  north  of  San  Luis 
Obispo  and  three  miles  southwest  of  Santa  Margarita,  a  station 
on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad.  There  is  a  ledge  14  inches 
wide,  carr>'ing  native  copper.  The  country  rock  is  shale  and 
serpentine.  No  development  has  been  done.  A.  Ouillemin,  of 
Santa  Margarita,  owner. 

On  the  same  ledge  is  the  Gloria  and  the  Tassajara  mines, 
similar  to  the  Tiptop,  and  owned  by  Mrs.  R.  Childs  and  F. 
Flores,  of  San  Luis  Obispo.  No  development  work  has  been 
done. 

Prodigal  Son.— Six  miles  east  of  Cayucos,  between  Toro  and 
Old  creeks,  and  twenty-two  miles  west  of  San  Luis  Obispo.  The 
development  consists  of  a  50- foot  shaft  on  the  ledge  and  100 
feet  of  tunneling  intended  to  tap  the  ledge   130  feet  below  the 


148  THK    C()}'1>KK    RKSOURCKS    <)1"    CAI.IKORNIA. 

collar  of  the  shaft.  At  the  time  of  visit,  the  tunnel  had  not 
intersected  the  ledge.  The  ledge  is  apparently  about  7  feet 
wide,  carrying  chalcopyrite,  gold,  and  silver.  The  gangue  is 
quartz.  The  formation  is  syenite  and  seri>entine.  K.  P. 
Loring,  of  Cayucos,  owner. 

Sky  Scraper. — Located  .seven  miles  east  of  Cayucos,  on 
upper  Toro  Creek,  and  about  twenty  miles  west  of  San  Luis 
Obispo.  The  development  consists  of  two  tunnels,  cross- 
cutting  the  vein,  one  250  feet  and  the  other  103  feet  long. 
Where  the  tunnels  tap  the  vein  the  ledge  appears  to  be  about 
10  feet  wide.  The  ledge  is  porphyry,  the  formation  granite, 
and  the  ore  chalcopyrite.  William  Drought,  of  Cayucos, 
owner. 

Schneider  &McCles  Claim. — On  San  Bernardo  Creek,  seven 
miles  east  of  Monro.  The  owners  had  just  begun  to  develop 
and  had  not  encountered  the  ledge  in  the  tunnel.  Eight  men 
were  employed  developing.  vSchneider  &  McCles,  of  Morro, 
owners. 

Refugio  Claim. — Located  on  Chorro  Creek,  about  seven 
miles  north  of  San  Luis  Obispo,  on  the  west  side  of  the  moun- 
tain. The  development  con.sists  of  a  135-foot  tunnel.  A  4-foot 
ledge,  carrying  native  copper  and  sulphide  ore,  was  encountered. 
The  formation  is  granite  and  serpentine.  Idle  at  present. 
Mrs.  R.  Childs  and  F.  Flores,  of  San  Luis  Obispo,  owners. 

Guerro  Claim. — Located  one-quarter  mile  north  of  Serrano 
station  and  six  miles  from  San  Luis  Obispo.  The  ledge  is  in 
serpentine  and  shows  copper  in  the  croppings.  No  develop- 
ment has  been  done.  Mrs.  R.  Childs  and  K.  Flores,  of  San 
Luis  Obispo,  owners. 

Guadalupe  Claim. — Located  one  and  a  half  miles  from 
Serrano  station  and  six  miles  from  San  Luis  Obispo.  The 
croppings  show  a  ledge  of  quartz  2  feet  wide  in  serpentine. 
No  development  has  been  done.  Mrs.  R.  Childs  and  1'.  Flores, 
of  San  Luis  Obispo,  owners. 


THE  SIliKKA  NHVAUA  BELT. 


The  Sierra  XeviuUi  Mountain  range  contains  copper  deposits 
in  wider  distribution  and  probably  in  greater  total  quantity 
than  anv  of  the  other  general  geographical  divisions  of  Cali- 
fornia by  which  the  copper  resources  of  the  State  have  been 
classified.  Copper  ores  have  been  found  practically  through- 
out the  length  and  breadth  of  the  range,  which  runs  for  about 
500  miles  through  the  eastern  side  of  the  vState,  with  a  width 
of  from  50  to  75  miles.  The  deposits  are  mainly  concentrated 
along  a  mineral  belt  which  appears  high  in  the  range  to  the 
north,  sweeps  southwestward  toward  the  central  valley  of  the 
State,  and  then  continues  for  about  300  miles  southeasterly 
through  the  western  foothills,  to  disappear  in  Kern  County 
near  the  southern  end  of  the  range. 

Here  is  a  definite  copper  belt  approximately  400  miles  long. 
From  Nevada  County  southward  it  is  known  as  the  Foothill 
Belt,  and  with  it   the  history  of  the  copper  industry  of  Cali- 
fornia   up  to    iSy6   is  mainly    associated.     The   other  copper 
deposits  of  the  range  occur,  with  wide  intervals,  along  both 
slopes,  mainly  in  the  base-ore  mineral  regions  of  the  higher 
portions  of  the  range  on  both  sides  of  the  summit  line,  and 
esjiecially    on  the  eastern  slope  in  Mono  and  Inyo   counties. 
The  copi->er  deposits  of  these  two  counties  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  range,  in  the  Great  Basin,  are  grouped  with  those  of 
the  general  arid  region  of  southeastern  California.     The  lew 
deposits  along  the  higher  western  .slope  are  little  known  and 
slightly  explored.     They   carry    also  the  precious   and    baser 
metals,  and  some  surface  prospects  at  high  altitudes  indicate 
ore  bodies  of  possible  future  value.     Throughout  the  base-ore 
belt  of  the  high  Sierras,  which  mining  enterprise  has  not  yet 
reached,  and  which  has  yet  been  but  ver>'  slightly  prospected, 
copper  will  probably  be   frequently  found  in  the   mineralized 
zones.     Along  the  middle  slope  are  here  and  there  copper-bear- 
ing prospects  worthy  of  incidental  note. 

Interest,   however,   is  here    centered  in  the   belt  along  the 

(149) 


150  THK   COPPKR    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

western    flank     of    the    range,    in     which    are    the    important 
developed  copper  mines  of  the  State  outside  of  Shasta  County, 
and  which  holds  much  of  the  industry's  promise  for  the  future. 
It  is  an  important  feature  of  the  gold  as  well  as  the  copper 
resources  of  the  State.     The  Foothill  Mineral  Belt,  as  generally 
recognized,  stretches  from  northern  Nevada  County  for  about 
250  miles  southward  into  Tulare  County.     For  about  this  dis- 
tance it  has  a  continuity  and  a  regularity  of  course  that  easily 
establish  its  identity,  and  from  either  end  it  may  be  somewhat 
vaguely    traced    farther   by     a    series    of     occasional   mineral 
deposits.     There  is  but  a  general  warrant  of  convenience  for 
regarding  the  belt  as  prolonged  northeasterly  into  the  higher 
slope  and  for  conceiving  the  400-mile  string  of  copper  deposits 
of  this  slope  as  constituting  one  copper  belt.     So  regarded,  this 
belt  exhibits  a  definite  beginning  at  the  north  by  the  southern 
edge  of  the  lava  sheet  that  covers  so  many  thousand  square 
miles   of    the   mountainous    northeastern  part    of    the    State. 
Such  a  definite  beginning  is  found  on  the  southern  slope  of  the 
Diamond  Mountain  range  along  the  northern  border  of  Plumas 
County,  over  100  miles  south   of    the  Oregon  boundary.     In 
this  region  are  bunched,  in   three  or  four  townships,  some  of 
the  large  and  probably  important  deposits  of  the  belt.     This  is 
about   75   miles  southeast   of   the  eastern  end    of    the  Shasta 
County  copper  belt,  and  this  intervening  space   is  buried  by 
the  lavas  which  hide  all  mineral  formations  except  where  they 
are  revealed  occasionally  by  erosion.     Half  way  on  the  direct 
line  between  these  points  is  the  extinct  volcanic  peak  of  Lassen 
Butte.     It  is  likely  that  copper-bearing  ores  underlie  this  vol- 
canic blanket,  connecting  the  deposits  of  the  Sierra  slope  with 
those  of  Shasta   and  Siskiyou  counties  to  the  northwest,  and 
making  one  great  copper  belt  reaching  for  about  600  miles 
through  the  eastern  and  north-central  parts  of  the  State  into 
Oregon. 

North  of  the  Plumas  County  boundary,  in  southern  Lassen 
County,  there  have  been  found  slight  occurrences  of  copper 
minerals,  mainly  as  float,  but  no  deposits  worthy  of  note  have 
been  revealed  in  this  much-disturbed  and  lava-buried  region. 
Farther  north  in  eastern  Modoc  County,  in  the  Warner  range 
of  mountains  belonging  to  the  Great  Basin,  there  are  similar 
slight  indications  of  copper  deposits,  but  they  do  not  belong  to 
the  Sierra  belt. 


THK    SIKRKA    NEVADA    BELT.  1^^ 

The  groups  of    deposits  in  northern   Plumas  County  com- 
prise the   imiKjrtant  discovered  ones  of     the    hirKc    northern 
section  of  the  belt  above  the  terminus  of  the  recognized  toot- 
hill   Belt  in  Nevada  County.     In   the  regions  of    Indian  and 
Genesee  vallevs  are  extensive  gossan-capped  vein  formations, 
carrving  copper,  gold,  and  silver,  and  some  of  them  considerably 
prospected.     Thev  are  in  the  Sierra  gold  belt  and  adjacent  to 
producing  gold  districts.     All  carry  sulphides  at  a  little  depth. 
Distance  from  railroads  has  been  a  severe  handicap  to  their 
development.     A  small  smelter  which  operated  for  a  short  tune 
on  surface  oxides  and  carbonates  was  built  here  in  an  early 
day   and  a  little  rich  ore  has  since  been  shipped.     For  perhaps 
50  miles  southward  through  Plumas  and  then  westerly  through 
Sierra  Countv  occasional  occurrences  mark  the  course  of  the 
belt  into  western  Nevada  County,  where  the  foothill  series  of 

deposits  begins. 

From   this  point  southward   the   Foothill   Belt  exists  as   a 
great  fissure  svstem  along  the  base  of  the  range.     Its  northern 
end  is  about  25  miles  north  of  the  northern  terminus  of  the 
Mother  Lode  in  El  Dorado  County,  and  it  parallels  that  great 
lode  throughout  its  length  of  125  miles,  running  from  5  to  20 
miles  to  its  west,  with  an  average  distance  of  about  12  miles. 
The  belt  runs  through  the  lower  western  ends  of  the  counties 
of  the  slope,  but  a  few  miles  east  of  the  floor  of  the  valley 
and  through  the  principal  agricultural  and  horticultural  por- 
tions of  these  counties.     The  climate  is  that  of  the  populous 
portion  of   the  central  interior  of    the  State.     The  croppings 
of  the  mineral  deposits  of  the  belt  range  in  altitude  from  300 
to  500  feet  in  Nevada  and  Placer  counties  to  several  hundred, 
or  in  places,  2000  feet  in  the  counties  to  the  southward,  reach- 
ing still  higher  altitudes  toward  the  southern  end  of  the  belt. 
The  belt  is  paralleled  at  20  to  30  miles  by  two  main  railroad 
lines  running  through  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley,  and  it  is 
reached  or  crossed  by  several  branch  lines  at  different  points 
along    its   course.     Conditions    are    in   general   exceptionally 
favorable  to  the  mining  industry. 

The  belt  is  quite  regularly  and  continuously  traced  by  sur- 
face gossan  formations,  and  thousands  of  mining  claims  have 
been  taken  up  along  it,  chiefly  in  early  days.  A  large  portion 
of  it  especially  in  the  northern  and  central  parts,  is  included 
in  patented  agricultural  lands.     Hundreds  of  mining  properties 


152  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

are  now  held  as  such,  and  a  number  of  valuable  mines,  pro- 
ductive, idle,  or  in  course  of  development,  are  strung  through- 
out its  course  along  the  base  of  the  slope.  From  one  end  to 
the  other  copper  deposits  occur  at  frequent  inter\-als. 


PLUMAS  AND  SIliRRA  COUXTIHS. 


That  section  of  the  great  copper  belt  of  the  Sierras  that  lies 
high  along  the  middle  slope  courses  for  about  70  miles  south- 
ward across  Plumas  and  Sierra  counties  to  then  turn  westward 
through  Nevada  County  to  the  lower  foothills.  At  the  very 
northern  end  of  the  belt,  in  upper  Plumas  County,  are  some  of 
the  notable  unworked  copper  deposits  of  the  State,  and  this 
county's  copper  resources  have  received  attention  since  early 
mining  days. 

Besides  presenting  a  mineralized  copper-bearing  belt  of 
similar  nature  and  course,  these  counties  have  so  much  in 
common  in  the  way  of  geographical,  topographical,  and  geo- 
logical features  that  they  may  be  appropriately  taken  together 
here.  Both  lie  in  the  heart  of  the  Sierras,  reaching  from  the 
Nevada  state  line  across  the  crest  of  the  range,  and  finding 
their  western  boundaries  high  above  the  foothills  that  are 
embraced  in  all  the  other  mountain  counties  traversed  by  this 
belt.  Plumas  has  a  length  of  75  miles  east  and  west  and  an 
extreme  width  of  50  miles.  Sierra  is  a  much  smaller  county. 
The  lowest  altitude  in  either  county  is  about  2000  feet,  and 
the  main  mineral  districts  lie  between  4000  and  7000  feet 
above  the  sea.  About  this  region  rise  some  of  the  higher 
peaks  of  the  range,  and  both  counties  present  the  rugged  sur- 
face and  scenic  grandeur,  as  well  as  the  abundant  forests, 
streams,  and  lakes  common  to  the  higher  slope.  Plumas  is 
wholly  drained  by  the  Feather  River,  and  Sierra  by  the 
Feather  and  Yuba  and  their  tributaries,  and  these  streams 
have  cut  precipitous  caiions  often  2000  feet  deep.  A  wealth 
of  water  power  is  thus  available.  Minor  portions  of  the  areas 
of  these  counties  are  occupied  by  small  fertile  valleys,  chiefly 
in  Plumas  Countv.     It  is  in  and  about  Indian  and  Genesee 


PLUMAS    AND   SIKRRA    COl'NTIKS.  153 

valleys    in   northern    Plumas    County    that    the    main    copj^er 
deposits  are  groui^ed. 

Plumas  and  Sierra  are  almost  exclusively  mining  counties, 
and  their  copper  deposits  are  in  the  midst  of  large  and  promis- 
ing quartz  mining  districts.  The  great  auriferous  slate  belt  of 
the  Sierras  crosses  both  counties  north  and  south,  presenting 
a  series  of  quart/,  veins  through  a  zone  in  places  more  than  20 
miles  wide.  The  copper  belt  is  characteristically  along  the 
western  side  of  the  zone,  and  runs  southward  through  the 
middle  of  Plumas  County  and  the  western  end  of  Sierra.  Both 
counties  have,  since  early  days,  been  among  the  great  gold- 
mining  counties  of  the  vState.  Their  early  placers  were  very 
rich  and  both  have  shared  with  Nevada  County  the  past  glory 
and  prosperity  of  hydraulic  mining  on  this  slope  and  the  rich 
rewards  of  drift  mining,  since  both  extensively  share  the  vast 
auriferous  gravels  of  the  system  of  "dead  rivers"  of  Tertiar\' 
time.  While  both  counties  have  varied  mineral  riches,  gold 
has  been  practically  the  sole  mineral  product  to  date.  Coal, 
copper,  marble,  iron,  asbestos,  etc.,  await  more  favorable 
economic  conditions.  One  unfavorable  condition,  especially 
in  Plumas  County,  is  distance  from  railroad  facilities.  Both 
are  inviting  fields  for  mining  enterprise. 

Plumas  County  is  entered  from  La.ssen  County  at  the  north 
over  the  crest  of  the  Diamond  Mountain  range,  and  from  tl^s 
point  there  is  a  rapid  descent  of  3000  feet  in  12  miles,  through 
Lights  Canon,  to  the  north  arm  of  Indian  Valley.  Along 
either  .side  of  Lights  Canon,  a  few  miles  south  of  the  county 
boundary,  are  groups  of  copper  claims  with  promising  surface 
indications,  which  are  strengthened  by  the  indications  afforded 
by  numerous  shafts,  tunnels,  and  cuts  reaching  to  no  great 
depth.  From  two  groups  of  claims  a  little  ore  has  been 
ship|>ed  in  past  years.  Lights  Canon  opens  on  the  south  into 
Indian  \'alley,  across  which,  in  the  region  of  Taylorville,  are 
other  promising  copper  prospects,  slightly  developed.  Stretch- 
ing for  several  miles  east  of  Taylor\ille  into  Oenesee  Valley 
and  its  inclosing  hills  are  the  prospects  comprised  in  the 
Genesee  district.  One  of  these,  formerly  the  Cosmopolitan, 
and  now  the  Reward,  was  discovered  in  1862,  and  in  1863-4, 
during  the  copper  boom  of  that  period,  was  equipped  with  a 
small  open-hearth  smelting  plant  at  a  cost  of  $30,000.  A  few 
tons  of  matte  were  produced  and  shipped,  but.  as  the  surface 


154  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

carbonates  and  oxides  were  succeeded  at  a  little  depth  by  sul- 
phides, the  process  and  plant  soon  proved  a  failure.  The  rest 
of  the  story  of  progress  is  one  of  claim-holding  for  forty  years, 
with  occasional  spurts  of  small  development  operations. 
Within  two  years  considerable  development  work  has  been 
done  in  a  number  of  properties.  In  many  instances  the  vein 
formations  in  which  the  ores  occur  are  wide  and  strong  and 
copper  ores  of  high  grade  are  found  carrying  good  values  in 
gold  and  silver.  The  courses  of  the  copper-bearing  veins  are 
frequently  marked  by  gossan  cappings.  The  contiguous  dis- 
tricts thus  described  are  embraced  in  an  area  about  lo  miles 
wide  and  15  miles  long  from  north  to  south,  in  north-central 
Plumas  County,  and  on-ly  minor  occurrences  mark  the  copper 
belt  southw^ard  through  Plumas  and  Sierra  to  Nevada  Count}'. 
There  are  sporadic  deposits  east  and  west  of  this  belt,  includ- 
ing northwest  Plumas  County  on  a  line  with  the  Shasta  County 
belt,  but  the  mineral  resources  of  western  Plumas  are  mainly 
buried  by  the  great  lava  sheet,  near  the  edge  of  which  are  the 
chief  districts  described. 

PLUMAS  COUNTY  DEPOSITS. 

Montgomery  Group. — About  one  mile  south  of  Taylor\'ille 
i?the  Pettinger  mine.  Owners,  J.  D.  Williams  et  al.  In  this 
mine  the  ores  are  mainly  carbonate,  with  some  sulphide.  The 
openings  consist  of  a  shaft  60  feet  deep,  with  southerly  drift 
100  feet  long.  The  vein  formation  is  6  feet  wide.  There  is 
some  good  carbonate  ore  on  the  dump.  A  tunnel  30  feet  long, 
higher  up  the  gulch,  shows  a  vein  several  feet  in  thickness  and 
the  same  class  of  ore.  Other  claims  higher  up  the  mountain 
have  open  cuts  on  them,  which  are  noticeable  mainly  because 
they  show  heavy  gossan  cappings.  There  is  also  exposed  on 
this  mountain  a  very  heavy  and  almost  pure  deposit  of  pyrites, 
about  40  feet  wide,  containing  a  small  percentage  of  copper. 

Polar  Star. — To  the  north  from  the  highway  leading  from 
Taylorville  to  Flournoys  and  up  the  mountain  is  the  Polar 
Star  mine,  owned  by  Messrs.  Cox,  Keasy,  and  Cooksey,  and 
now  controlled  by  J.  D.  Williams.  This  mine  is  five  miles 
southeast  from  Taylor\411e.  It  is  opened  by  a  tunnel  and  an 
open  cut.     The  tunnel  passes  through  the  vein,  which  is   10 


PLl'MAS   COUNTY    DEPOSITS.  155 

feet  thick,  and  runs  some  distance  ahead  in  the  east  wall.  The 
cut  is  in  a  body,  or  \ein,  of  good  ore,  of  which  50  or  60  tons 
are  on  the  dump,  l)esides  about  10  tons  of  good  ore  left  from 
former  selections  of  shipping  ore.  The  ore  is  peacock,  sul- 
])hide  and  carbonate  of  copper,  with  considerable  red  oxide  in 
seams  and  bunches.  The  mountain  and  adjacent  country  are 
heavily  timbered  with  pine  and  fir.     Water  is   plentiful.     Idle. 

Blue  Bell  Mining  Co. — .Vlong  the  road  toward  Gene.see, 
about  a  mile  beyond  Hosslekuss's,  a  limestone  belt  passes 
through  the  country  in  a  northeast  and  southwest  direc- 
tion. At  the  apex  of  a  hill  on  this  belt  are  some  heavy  crop- 
pings,  to  get  under  which  the  Blue  Bell  Mining  Company, 
J.  J.  Sullivan,  superintendent,  are  now  running  a  tunnel  calcu- 
lated to  be  1000  feet  long.  This  tunnel  has  intersected  thus 
far  seven  veins  of  importance.     Development  in  progress. 

Reward,  formerly  Cosmopolitan. — Belonging  to  the 
Reward  and  Beck  with  group;  Messrs.  Salinger,  Emerick,  and 
Rosenthal,  owners.  Adjoins  the  Blue  Bell  group  on  the  east. 
The  vein  is  intersected  by  a  tunnel  100  feet  below  the  surface, 
which  is  exposed  2  to  6  feet  in  width.  Two  tunnels  tap  the 
ore  body.  The  upper  one  is  175  feet  long,  and  the  lower  one, 
900  feet  long,  reaches  a  depth  of  400  feet  below  croppings.  A 
shaft  125  feet  deep  (caved)  is  on  the  higher  portion  of  the- 
claim.  There  are  about  100  tons  of  ore  on  the  dump.  It 
appears  to  be  of  good  grade.  The  veins  lie  between  grano- 
diorite  on  the  east  and  limestone  on  the  west.  In  1863-4  there 
was  an  old  smelter  at  Coppertown,  near  Hosslekuss's,  in  which 
was  smelted  .several  hundred  tons  of  ore  from  the  Cosmopolitan. 
The  product  was  sub-sequently  sent  to  Swansea.  At  the  site 
of  this  smelter  there  still  remain  about  75  tons  of  ore,  such 
as  was  then  smelted.  The  facilities  for  opening  up  both  of 
the  above  properties,  viz:  Blue  Bell  and  Reward  groups,  are 
excellent. 

F.  B.  Hosslekuss  owns  and  works  a  claim  near  by,  on  Ward 
Creek,  that  carries  copper  and  gold. 

Duncan  Group, — Thirty-three  claims,  owned  by  J.  D.  Will- 
iams, are  about  one  and  a  half  miles  to  the  north  of  Flour- 
noys.  The  mineralized  diorite  and  diabase  belt  that  passes 
through  this  section   is   about    3600    feet  wide.      The   richer 


156        ,  THK   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

bunches  of  mineral,  constituting  the  ores  of  the  district,  occur 
in  kidneys,  or  lenticular-shaped  masses  in  diabase.  The  prin- 
cipal development  work  performed  on  these  claims  consists  of  a 
tunnel  1 25  feet  long,  with  cross-cut  at  its  end,  which  cut  several 
stringers  and  veins  of  copper-bearing  rocks.  The  mineral- 
bearing  belt  is  a  dike,  which  consists  principally  of  diabase 
charged  with  sulphides  of  iron  and  copper.  In  places,  there 
are  gossan  cappings,  and  in  others  there  are  cappings  of  pure 
magnetite,  or  black  oxide  of  iron.  That  in  open  cuts  can 
plainly  be  seen  to  overlie  ore  carrying  pyrites  and  chalcopyrites. 
The  magnetite  has  a  thickness  of  3  to  4  feet.  There  is  an 
open  cut  on  the  hillside  above  the  above  mentioned  tunnel, 
where  this  condition  of  capping  is  very  markedly  shown,  and 
from  whence,  under  the  magnetite  capping,  ore  containing  red 
oxide  of  copper  in  considerable  quantity  has  been  extracted. 
There  is  an  abundance  of  croppings  of  mineralized  veins 
included  in  the  group,  indicating  that  the  belt  is  of  large  extent. 
The  ore,  besides  its  copper,  also  carries  good  value  in  gold; 
native  gold  in  the  green  carbonate  and  sulphide  ore  is  plainly 
visible.  This  is  particularly  true  of  the  ore  in  the  claim  called 
the  Copper  King.  In  the  Copper  King  there  is  an  inclined 
shaft  75  feet  deep,  all  in  ore.  The  ore  at  the  bottom  is  known 
to  be  6  feet  in  width,  with  no  walls.  Reported  values  are  $6 
in  gold  and  9  per  cent  copper.  The  ores  of  the  veins  of  the 
Duncan  group  have  the  same  appearance.  Grano-diorite  or 
granite  forms  the  east  wall,  and  mineralized  diabase  the  vein 
filling.     The  ledges  dip  to  the  east.     Developing. 

Little  Gem  Claim. — Located  on  Ward  Creek,  where  there 
is  a  ledge  opened  by  a  shaft.  The  vein  is  from  6  to  18  inches 
in  width,  and  carries  reported  values  of  $17.96  gold  and 
31  ounces  silver  to  the  ton,  and  12.66  per  cent  in  copper.    Idle. 

Williams  Group. — To  the  west  of  Flournoys,  about  one 
half  mile,  is  a  mountain  which  is  covered  by  mining  locations 
held  by  J.  D.  Williams.  On  this  mountain  the  whole  outcrop 
appears  to  be  heavily  mineralized  by  iron  and  copper  in  the 
form  of  oxides,  carbonates,  and  sulphides.  So  little  develop- 
ment work  has  been  performed  that  no  estimate  of  the  worth 
of  the  claims  can  at  the  present  time  be  made.  It  is  doubtless 
the  outcrop  of  an  immense  mineralized  dike.     Developing. 


CDl-n-.K  CKoPriNf.S.  WILLIAMS  CLAIMS.  C.KNKSKi:.   ^Ll'^L\S  ColNlV 


MOVNTAIN   ON   WHICH   IS  LOCATKD  THK   DINCAN  GROVP  OH  COl'I-HK    MINKS, 
OHNKSFF,   I'LTMAS  CoTNTY,  NKAR  VLOrRNOYS 


158  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

In  Cook's  Canon,  south  of  Moonlight  Creek,  are  two  claims, 
owned  by  Frank  and  George  Davis,  on  which  there  has  been 
little  development.  The  vein  is  12  to  13  feet  wide,  and  shows 
carbonate  and  sulphide  ores  of  good  appearance.  It  has  been 
exjilored  for  800  feet  in  length  by  cuts.     Developing. 

Engle  Copper  Mining  Co.— This  company,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  E.  V.  Spencer,  Engle,  and  Adams,  owns  two  claims  on 
Moonlight  Creek,  in  Lights  Caiaon,  where  a  tunnel  about  100 
feet  long  shows  a  vein  of  sulphide,  and  an  open  cut  exposes 
the  same  character  of  ore.     Developing. 

W.  P.  Boyden  has  a  claim  on  Enterprise  Creek,  from  which 
he  shipped  ore  reported  to  have  yielded  18  per  cent  copper  and 
57  ounces  silver  to  the  ton.     Developing. 

Engle  Bros,  have  two  claims  on  the  west  side  of  Lights 
Caiion,  in  Sec.  18,  T.  27  N.,  R.  1 1  E.,  where  a  mineralized  vein 
about  30  feet  wide,  carrying  sulphides,  is  shown.  It  is  opened 
by  a  tunnel  1 20  feet  long  and  a  shaft  20  feet  deep.     Developing. 

On  the  east  side  of  Lights  Canon,  above  the  residence  of  the 
Engle  Bros.,  are  two  claims,  Superior  No.  i  and  Superior 
No.  2,  where  openings  were  made  in  years  past,  and  ore  was 
extracted  and  shipped.  There  are  about  50  tons  of  ore  remain- 
ing on  the  dump.  There  is  an  open  cut  80  feet  long,  leading 
into  a  pit  20  feet  wide,  by  15  to  20  feet  high,  with  a  water- 
tilled  shaft  in  bottom  of  pit  said  to  be  60  feet  deep.  From  this 
pit  .some  samples  of  very  good  ore  were  taken.  This  ore  con- 
tains a  high  percentage  of  zinc.     Idle. 

Engle  Bros.  Group. — This  group  of  eight  claims  is  in  Sees. 
3,  9,  and  4,  T.  27  N.,  R.  1 1  E.  The  copper  deposit  is  about 
300  feet  wide  and  about  1000  feet  long.  The  ores  nearer  the 
surface  are  mosth'  carbonates,  mixed  with  iron  oxide  and 
copper  sulphides.  The  copper  belt  here  is  about  1800  feet 
wide.  Reported  assays  are  10  per  cent  copper,  and  from  $2.50 
upward  in  gold.  The  ore  body  dips  to  the  west  and  the  strike 
of  the  vein  is  northeast.  The  openings  consist  of  three  tunnels 
and  a  shaft.  Tunnel  No.  i  is  100  feet  long,  and  a  cross-cut  at 
the  end  exposes  13  feet  of  carbonate  ore.  The  vein  on  which 
this  tunnel  runs  is  100  feet  wide,  and  the  end  of  the  tunnel  is 
65  feet  below  the  croppings.     Tunnel  No.  2  .is  325  feet  long, 


PLUMAS   COUNTY    DEPOSITS. 


159 


with  cross-cut  at  end  which  shows  a  width  of  45  feet  of  sul- 
phide ore  1 10  feet  lielong  the  croppings.  Tunnel  No.  3  ( lowest ) 
is  100  feet  long,  with  cross-cut  at  end  showing  87  feet  of  ore 
and  20  feet  of  intermediate  vein  tilling  (horse).  The  ore  is 
carbonate,  and  is  200  feet  below  croppings.  Open  cuts  on  the 
surface  show  ore.  Considerable  ore  has  been  extracted  from 
these  mines  and  sold.  The  facilities  for  mining  here  are  good. 
and  there  are  exceptional  tunnel  privileges.  Heavy  growths 
of  pine  and  tir  on  the  locations  and  surrounding  country 
furnish  abundant  mining  timber.     Developing. 

Hussleman  &  Shaw  Group.— This  group,  in  Moonlight 
Creek  district,  Lights  Canon,  comprises  thirty-one  locations, 
on  nearly  all  of  which  some  development  has  been  done.  A 
tunnel  has  been  started  well  down  on  the  mountain  side,  so 
as  to  obtain  See  to  1000  feet  of  depth  under  the  heaviest 
croppings.  This  is  a  cross-cut  tunnel  and  is  now  in  150  feet. 
It  is  intended  to  continue  this  1000  feet  farther.  The  moun- 
tain side  here  is  very  abrupt.  Passing  through  these  claims  is 
also  a  highly  mineralized  belt,  which  contains  masses  of  high- 
grade  ore.     Developing. 

On  the  Mammoth  claim  of  the  above  group  the  vein  trends 
northeast  and  southwest.  vSeveral  open  cuts  show  sulphide 
ore  as  well  as  carbonates.  A  capping  of  diorite  co\ers  a  vein 
about  8  feet  wide,  as  shown  in  the  largest  cut.  The  capping 
lies  flat  and  the  vein  is  perpendicular.  There  is  a  cross-cut  on 
the  vein  10  feet  in  length,  with  no  wall  discovered.  A  good 
quality  of  iron  and  copper  pyrites  is  shown  in  face  of  cut.  The 
same  class  of  ore  is  traced  northerly  by  cuts  for  900  feet. 
Developing. 

On  the   Orient  claim   a   tunnel   has  been   driven    150   feet. 

Developing. 

On  the  mountain  side  and  following  the  course  of  the  pro- 
posed tunnel  twelve  ledges  are  encountered,  all  exposed  by 
open  cuts.  The  widest  vein  is  found  near  the  apex  of  the 
hill  and  is  about  13  feet  wide.  It  is  opened  by  an  extensive 
cut,  and  from  it  ore  has  been  extracted  and  shipj^d.  The 
character  of  the  ore  is  carbonate  with  some  sulphide.  The 
Gentle  Annie  claim  is  prospected  with  open  cuts  showing  a  vein 
6  to  8  feet  in  width.  The  ore  is  mostly  silicious.  carrying  red 
oxide,  carbonates,  and  pyrites,  and  can  be  traced  for  over  800 


160  THE    COPPKK    KKSOIRCKS    OK    CALIFORNIA. 

feet.  Claims  Xos.  i  and  2  have  a  shaft  13  feet  deep,  showing 
peacock  copper  ore  in  the  bottom.  Near  by  is  a  belt  exposing 
on  the  surface  iron  oxides.  The  Avidth  of  the  copper  vein  is 
unknown.  Assays  from  these  claims  are  reported  as  showing 
from  10  to  60  per  cent  copper. 

On  the  Oregon  claim  at  the  east  end  there  is  a  shaft  1 3  feet 
deep,  all  in  green  and  blue  stained  ore,  said  to  contain  20  per 
cent  of  copper  and  rich  in  gold  Some  copper  glance  is  also 
visible  in  this  ore.  There  are  three  cuts  on  this  vein,  besides  a 
shaft,  all  showing  same  varieties  of  ore.  The  strike  of  the  vein 
is  south  of  west.  The  north  wall  is  diaba.se,  the  south  diorite. 
The  west  end  of  the  Oregon  is  opened  by  a  superficial  cut, 
which  discloses  some  good  carbonate  and  silicious  ore  that  is 
reported  to  assay  4S  per  cent  copper  and  514  in  gold,  with  15 
ounces  of  silver.  A  vein  parallel  with  the  main  one  just 
described  also  shows  good  ore.  The  veins  are  wide,  but  the 
width,  owing  to  lack  of  development,  can  not  be  determined. 

On  the  Olympian  claim  a  vein  outcrops  and  is  expo.sed  30 
feet  in  width  of  carbonate  ore.  in  an  open  cut.  Lower  down 
the  hillside  a  tunnel  was  started  to  obtain  50  feet  of  backs 
under  the  croppings.  The  tunnel  is  85  feet  long  and  cuts  30 
feet  of  gray  carbonate  ore.  The  inclosing  rock  is  a  diabase, 
spotted  with  coarse  crystals  of  feldspar.  On  the  Xo  Wonder 
claim  at  the  apex  of  the  hill  above  the  Orient  tunnel  is  a  vein 
of  green  carbonate  ore  8  feet  wide.  There  is  an  open  cut  20 
feet  long  and  opening  on  the  vein.  There  are  about  100  tons 
of  ore  on  the  dump.  In  this  ore  can  be  seen  some  copper 
glance.     Developing. 

On  the  south  hillside  is  the  Palisades  tunnel,  which  was 
driven  to  cut  a  ledge  which  crops  1 2  feet  in  width  above  it. 
This  tunnel  has  a  length  of  197  feet,  but  has  not  reached  the 
ledge  aimed  at,  although  it  has  cut  several  small  veins.  On 
the  Iowa  claim  there  are  bold  croppings  carrying  some  copper 
and  said  to  be  very  good  in  gold  values. 

The  Hussleman  &  Shaw  group  is  owned  by  Messrs.  Hussle- 
man,  Shaw,  Mcintosh,  and  Williams,  and  consists  of  thirty-one 
mining  claims. 

The  Mammoth  claim  is  owned  by  Messrs.  Hussleman  & 
Shaw,  and  comprises  twenty-nine  mining  locations. 

Broadly,  it  may  be  stated,  that  iron  predominates  in  both 


SIERRA    COUNTY    DEPOSITS.  161 

the  Moonlight  district  and  the  Genesee  district  mineral  depos- 
its. Accompanying  this  per\'ading  iron  are  copper,  gold,  and 
silver. 

In  Sec.  28,  T.  26  N.,  R.  8  E.,  unsurveyed  land,  two  and  a 
half  miles  south  of  Meadow  View,  on  the  south  face  of  the 
mountain  facing  the  North  Fork  of  Feather  River,  there  occurs 
a  deposit  of  sulphide  carr>'ing  some  copper  of  unknown  value 
and  extent.  Two  tunnels  have  been  started,  one  above  the  other. 
The  upper  tunnel  does  not  reach  the  deposit  or  vein,  and 
discloses  nothing.  The  lower  one  reaches  the  sulphide  ore. 
A  caved-in  shaft  higher  up  on  the  hill  was  sunk  years  ago. 

vStill  farther  south,  just  below  the  Bamboo  Bridge,  is  a 
formation,  copper  stained,  which  may  prove  to  be  the  outcrop 
of  a  deposit  of  iron  sulphides  carrying  copper. 

A  few  minor  copper  deposits  have  been  noted  in  the  north- 
western part  of  the  county,  and  there  are  a  few  other  localities 
where  copper-stained  rocks  are  known  to  exist,  as  near 
Mohawk,  and  in  Sec.  16,  T.  23  N.,  R.  11  E.,  but  none  of  these 
occurrences  have  assumed  importance. 

SIERRA  COUNTY  DEPOSITS. 

In  the  Poker  Flat  district,  in  T.  21  N.,  R.  10  E.,  John  B. 
Lassiad  owns  a  claim  showing  a  copper  deposit  about  60  feet 
wide,  carrying  pyrites,  oxides  and  carbonate  of  copper.  The 
development  has  been  slight. 

Bassett's  Pride  Claim. — About  live  miles  east  of  Sierra 
City.  Some  native  copper  shows  in  the  deposit,  in  which  a 
tunnel  has  been  driven.  This  mine  is  in  Sec.  12,  T.  20  N., 
R.  12  E.,  and  is  owned  by  Albert  Church  et  al. 

Near  Sierra  City,  in  Sec.  19,  T.  20  N.,  R  12  IC.,  east  of 
Whitney  Camp  and  northwest  of  the  Buttes  Rock,  there  is  a 
copper  mine  owned  by  George  Zuver.  There  is  a  shaft  40 
feet  deep  from  which  copper  sulphides  have  been  extracted 
and  shipped. 

The  Antelope  Neck  mines,  in  vSec.  27,  T.  21  N.,  R.  15  E., 
show  a  wide  vein  of  copper  sulphide.     Small  development. 

Beamer  is  the  owner. 

11— Bt:l.  23 


162  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Ill  Mohawk  Valley  near  the  Bullion  claim  is  a  prospect 
showing  veins  15  feet  in  width,  carrying  oxide,  sulphide,  and 
carbonate  ores  of  copper.  The  owners  are  J.  H.  Hapgood  and 
J.  J.  Miller. 


NEVADA  COUNTY. 


Nevada,  the  banner  gold-producing  county  of  the  State, 
with  a  record  of  about  $215,000,000  in  total  output  of  this 
precious  metal,  presents  some  noteworthy  copper  deposits 
among  the  \arious  minor  features  of  its  mineral  wealth.  This 
county,  which  still  leads  in  gold  production,  is  so  prominently 
identified  with  the  history  of  gold  mining  in  California  that  it 
is  more  familiar  to  the  mining  world  than  any  of  its  sister  min- 
ing counties.  Quartz  mining  in  California  began  in  Nevada 
County  in  1850,  and  here  was  the  origin  of  hydraulic  and 
drift  mining.  The  copper  mine  at  Spenceville,  which  has  been 
a  small  producer  through  many  years,  gives  it  a  somewhat 
prominent  identification  with  the  story  of  the  copper  industry 
in  the  State. 

This  county  comprises  a  narrow  strip  of  mountain  and  foot- 
hill reaching  across  the  Sierras  75  miles  to  the  edge  of  the 
Sacramento  Valley,  where  the  altitude  is  but  about  400  feet. 
Its  central  and  eastern  parts  are  characteristically  Sierran. 
The  higher  lakes  and  the  Bear  and  Yuba  rivers,  between  which 
the  county  mainly  lies,  afford,  in  connection  with  many 
tributary  streams  and  with  great  systems  of  canals  and  ditches 
aggregating  hundreds  of  miles,  a  copious  and  well-distributed 
water-supply.  Electric  power  is  also  extensively  generated 
and  distributed.  The  Central  Pacific  Railroad  runs  along  its 
southern  boundary  and  a  branch  line  runs  to  Grass  Valley  and 
Nevada  City,  affording  convenient  transportation  to  a  rich  and 
well-populated  mining  and  horticultural  region  that  enjoys  a 
splendid  climate. 

The  county's  mineral  resources  are  chiefly  near  its  lower 
western  end.  Here,  about  15  miles  from  its  western  boundary, 
are  the  remarkable  and  famous  gold  quartz  districts  of  Grass 
Valley  and  Nevada  City.     Through  this  region  and  extending 


NKVADA    CniN'rV — COIM'KK    MINI-.S    AND    CLAIMS.  IttM 

to  the  central  j)art  are  displayed  the  ancient  river  channels 
which  have  afforded  such  extensive  hydraulic  and  drift  raining 
operations,  and  over  the  same  area  are  distributed  the  minor 
quartz  mines  of  the  county,  which  is  traversed  by  three  main 
auriferous  belts.  A  little  west  of  the  Grass  X'alley  gold  belt 
an  iron  belt  crosses  the  county,  and  west  of  this  comes  the 
copper  belt.  From  Sierra  County  it  swings  southwesterly 
along  the  northwestern  boundary  of  the  county  for  perhaps 
25  miles,  and  then  turns  southward  with  the  direct  western 
boundary  line,  which  it  parallels  at  a  distance  of  from  two  to 
four  miles  along  an  eighteen-mile  course  into  Placer  County. 
Along  the  entire  course  of  the  belt  copper  indications  occur  at 
inter^•als,  but  the  chief  known  deposits  are  at  two  points — at 
Spenceville  in  the  .southwestern  corner  of  the  county,  and  about 
Mineral  Hill,  three  miles  to  the  north,  where  various  properties 
exhibiting  strong  veins  are  being  actively  prospected,  and  from 
where  shipments  of  ore  have  been  made  at  various  times. 
There  are  here  many  strong  copper-bearing  veins,  and  the 
somewhat  extensive  developments  that  have  been  made  give 
promise  of  profitable  and  long-continued  copper  mining  here, 
under  favorable  market  conditions.  The  mine  at  Spenceville 
has  produced  nearly  a  million  dollars'  worth  of  copper,  iron 
pyrites,  and  mineral  paint,  and  from  above  a  depth  of  150  feet. 
The  developed  ore  bodies  are  now  exhausted,  but  search  for 
new  ore  bodies  is  proceeding  in  the  same  mineralized  formation. 

Spenceville  Copper  Mine. — This  old  property  has  expe- 
rienced a  longer  period  of  operations  than  any  other  copper 
mine  in  the  State,  having  been  worked  almost  continuously 
since  i^JS-  Although  its  operations  have  never  been  on  a 
very  large  scale,  the  total  product  to  date  being  about  150,000 
tons  of  ore,  yielding  gross  returns  of  several  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  both  the  mine  and  its  history  have  some  features  of 
special  interest.  The  mine  has  produced  quite  a  large  amount 
of  copper,  and  it  was  the  first  mine  in  the  State  whose  product 
of  pyrites  was  used  for  the  manufacture  of  both  mineral  paint 
and  sulphuric  acid.  It  has  been  the  scene  of  a  number  of 
metallurgical  experiments. 

It  is  located  in  the  town  of  Spenceville,  in  the  southwestern 
corner  of  the  county,  at  an  altitude  of  450  feet,  and  is  now 
owned  and  operated  by  the  Spence  Mineral  Company  of  San 


1()4 


THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


Francisco.  The  ore  occurs  in  a  series  of  wide  irregular  fissures 
near  the  contact  of  two  large  areas  of  country  rock  (diorite 
and  grano-diorite),  the  fissures  being  filled  with  sulphide 
ores  carrying  copper,  gold,  and  silver.  Mining  has  been  con- 
fined almost  entirely  to  that  ore,  which  occurred  in  the  main 
foot  wall  fissure  in  the  form  of  chalcopyrite  and  iron  pyrite, 
being  a  continuous  vein  300  feet  long,  and  15  to  55  feet  wide. 
The  mine  has  been  worked  to  a  depth  of  150  feet,  from  which 
level  it  still  continues  in  depth.  This  vein  yielded  150,000 
tons  of  ore,  the  copper  content  varjang  from  2  to  20  per  cent, 
the  greater  part  averaging  about  5  per  cent.  By  the  crude 
method  of  roasting  and  leaching  only  about  4  per  cent  of  this 
ore,  or  6000  tons,  was -recovered  as  copper,  the  gold  and  silver, 
which    averaged    from   $3.50   to   $4.50    per   ton,    being   lost. 


Cravat       ^  O'Br'la 


Ideal      Caess     Sectien    o[     Spenceville    rormallon 

Parallel  and  cross  fissures  on  the  hanging-wall  side  of  this 
main  ledge  are  filled  with  strongly  mineralized  schists  and 
altered  diabase,  too  low  in  sulphur  to  be  burned  and  requiring 
a  different  method  of  treatment,  but  indicating  a  wide  area  of 
mineralization  having  possibilities  in  depth. 

The  San  Francisco  Copper  Company  pursued  active  opera- 
tions for  thirteen  years  succeeding  1875.  The  mine  was 
opened  by  shafts  and  drifts  to  about  150  feet  in  depth,  and 
then,  after  the  works  had  caved  in,  mining  was  pursued  in  an 
open  cut  which  became  300  feet  long,  70  feet  wide,  and  75  feet 
deep.  Most  of  the  ore  taken  from  the  mine,  approximately 
150,000  tons,  carr>'ing  an  average?  of  5  per  cent  of  copper,  was 
extracted  by  this  company  prior  to  cessation  of  operations  in 
1888,  and  the  sale  of  the  property  in  1890,  owing  to  the  fall  in 
the  price    of   copper.     This    company  made   some  costly  and 


NKVADA    CofNTV — COPPKR    MINKS    AND    CLAIMS. 


165 


luisuccesslul  smelting  experiments  and  produced  some  matte 
and  ingot  copper.  Most  of  the  output,  however,  was  cement 
copper,  produced  by  heap  roasting  and  leaching,  this  company 
being  among  the  first  in  this  country  to  introduce  and  success- 
fully operate  by  this  method.  During  the  year  1882  the  com- 
pany mined  over  16,000  tons  of  ore  averaging  4  per  cent  in 
copper,  and  966,061  pounds  of  cement  averaging  83  per  cent 
in  copper,  which  was  shipi^d  to  Boston.  There  was  roasted 
12.300  tons  of  ore,  yielding  a  net  profit  of  $2  per  ton  at  current 


PL.\NT  OF  THI-  SPKNCK  MINERAL  COMPANY,  SPKNCKVILLK. 

prices.  During  the  year  1882  the  cost  of  production  was  9.4 
cents  per  pound  of  fine  copper.  The  water  from  the  mine 
workings  was  also  run  through  precipitating  sluices.  The 
price  of  copi^er  cement  fell  in  1887,  and  operations  ceased. 

In  iS90the  Imperial  Paint  and  Copper  Company  acquired 
the  property  for  the  purpose  of  utilizing  the  old  dumps  of 
roasted  ore.  They  erected  a  paint  mill  and  calcining  furnace 
and  manufactured  red  metallic  paint  from  the  iron  oxide, 
which  constitutes  approximately  40  per  cent  of  these  dumps. 
They  also  leached  the  dumps  and  utilized  the  mine  waters  in 


166  Tin-;  coitkr  rksourcks  of  California. 

makiiii:;  cement  copper.  They  did  no  minin*;-.  The  paint 
manufactured  was  of  exceptional  quality,  and  had  a  ready  sale 
at  the  market  price  of  standard  paints. 

In  KS97,  the  Spence  Mineral  Company  acquired  the  property 
and  introduced  into  California  a  new  method  of  manufacturing 
sulphuric  acid  by  substituting  pyrites  as  a  source  of  sulphur 
for  the  crude  suljihur  imported  from  Japan.  This  proved 
thoroughly  successful  and  has  revolutionized  the  methods  of 
acid-making  on  this  Coast.  The  mine  was  unwatered  and 
re-opened  and  large  bodies  of  low-grade  pyrites  left  in  the  old 
works  were  shipped  to  manufacturers  of  acid  on  the  baj'  of 
San  Franci.sco  at  a  good  profit,  the  cinders  being  returnable  to 
the  compan\-.  These*  ores  proved  to  be  well  adapted  to  this 
purpose,  owing  to  the  absence  of  arsenic  and  other  injurious 
elements,  and  to  their  free-burning  quality,  yielding  up  their 
45  to  50  per  cent  of  sulphur  without  the  least  tendency  to 
clinker,  and  retaining  the  smallest  percentage  of  suljihur  in 
their  cinders. 

The  copper  contained  in  these  cinders,  amounting  to  from 
3  to  3' J  per  cent,  together  with  the  gold  and  silver,  and  the 
iron  which  has  a  value  as  a  flux,  netted  the  company  from 
$2  to  $3  per  ton  when  suKsequently  sold  to  smelters.  A  suc- 
cessful leaching  plant  has  been  constructed  by  the  company 
on  the  bay  of  San  P'rancisco,  where  its  cinders  are  leached  and 
cement  copper  manufactured. 

At  the  present  writing  the  company  has  under  way  the 
thorough  development  and  exploitation  of  its  mine  below  the 
150-foot  level,  and  throughout  its  mineralized  area  above 
described,  and  has  under  consideration  the  future  treatment  of 
its  ores  by  more  modern  and  efficient  methods.  Charles  \\'. 
Howard,  Spenceville,  is  general  manager  and  superintendent. 

Between  Spenceville  and  the  Placer  Count}-  line  to  the  south 
there  are  .several  prospect  holes  sunk  on  the  mineral  belt, 
showing  the  same  character  of  copper  mineralization  as  at 
vSpenceville.  On  the  Nickerson  ranch,  in  Sec.  29,  T.  14  N., 
R.  8  K.,  by  Wolf  Creek,  there  are  exposed  two  large  ledges 
carrying  almost  pure  pyrites  and  some  gold.  Tests  of  ore 
from  dumps  show  a  copper  content  of  4  per  cent.  There  is  a 
cross-cut   tunnel    200    feet    in    length,  which    taps  the  ledge. 


XKVADA    COI'NTV — COI'IMIK    MINICS    AND    CLAIMS.  1<)7 

Croi)pings  are  visible  for  al)out  800  feet  along  the  ledge.  Very 
little  development,  however,  has  been  done.  The  owner  is 
J.  R.  Nickerson,  residing  on  the  property. 

Many  of  the  prospect  holes  above  mentioned  were  made  in 
early  days,  since  which  time  the  lands  have  been  patented  and 
prospecting  stopi^ed.  This  is  true  also  of  the  territory  lying 
north  of  Spenceville. 

At  the  Henry  Hibber  mine,  in  Sec.  32,  T.  14  N.,  R.  7  E., 
seven  and  a  half  miles  southeast  from  vSpenceville,  there  are 
croppings  of  gossan  3  feet  wide  and  over  400  feet  in  length. 
The  vein  here  dips  west.  The  east  wall  is  diorite;  the  west, 
schistose  diabase.  When  inspected  the  owner  had  reached 
copper  ore  in  a  vein  2  feet  wide,  carrying  from  9  to  41  per  cent 
of  copper,  with  some  gold.  The  Bear  River  runs  through  the 
property.     Idle. 

Mineral  Hill  Mines. — About  two  miles  north  of  Spence- 
ville is  located  the  Mineral  Hill  group  of  mines,  whicli  are  now 
being  quite  actively  j^ro.spected.  The  Mineral  Hill  Mining  and 
vSmelting  Company,  of  which  C.  C.  Bitner  is  .superintendent, 
owns  five  claims  on  the  copper  belt  lying  in  Sec.  13,  T.  15  N., 
R.  6  E. — the  Golden  Eagle,  Index,  Legion,  Mineral  Hill,  and 
Progress.  The  California  Gold  and  Copper  Company, 
C.  C.  Bitner,  sui:)erintendent,  owns  six  claims — the  Jackson, 
San  Francisco,  American,  St.  I^ouis,  Philadelphia,  and  Sixteen- 
to-One.  The  Sacramento,  Main  Chance,  First  Chance,  and 
Advance  Chance  are  owned  by  C.  C.  Bitner.  The  Arkansaw 
Traveler  is  owned  by  Jackson  &  Monasco.  The  Last  Chance, 
a  patented  mine,  is  owned  by  F.  Miller  and  E.  .A.  Roberts  of 
Sacramento.  The  Green  Lead  is  owned  by  the  heirs  of 
Thomas  Mooney,  residing  in  Smartsville,  Yuba  County.  The 
Monmouth  and  Climax  claims  are  owned  by  J.  F.  Dempsey 
of  Smartsville. 

Bitner  &  Austin  were  running  a  cross-cut  tunnel  through 
the  Advance  Chance,  First  Chance,  Main  Chance,  and  Sacra- 
mento claims  easterly  from  the  ravine,  expecting  to  intersect 
thirteen  ledges  with  this  tunnel,  as  that  number  outcrop  on 
the  hillside.  They  expect  to  finally  strike  a  very  wide  ledge, 
the  main  croppings  of  which,  about  100  feet  wide,  are  near  the 
summit  of  the  hill.  The  course  of  this  vein  is  east  of  north. 
The  thirteen  parallel  veins  vary  from  5  to  30  feet  in  width  on 


168 


THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


the  outcrops.  All  of  them  show  chalcopyrites.  A  shaft  near 
the  hilltop  follows  the  loo-foot  vein  pitching  to  the  east,  which 
shows  some  very  good  red  oxide,  carbonate,  and  sulphide  ores. 
The  formation  that  incloses  the  mineral  is  a  hard  diabase. 

The  L,ast  Chance  is  opened  by  a  shaft  240  feet  deep,  with 
steam  hoisting  works.  The  vein  is  5  to  8  feet  wide,  carrying 
pyrites  and  chalcopyrites  in  considerable  quantities.  Some 
good  ore  now  lies  on  the  dump.  There  was  considerable  ore 
shipped  from  this  mine  as  long  ago  as  1876.  The  pyrite 
occurs  in  this  mine,  as  well  as  in  all  others  in  the  district,  in 
lens-shaped  bodies,  the  inclosing  formation  being  a  hard,  dark- 
blue  diabase. 


> 
\ 


..o.>->-^^'\ 


Sketch  Map  or  Mineral  IIii.i,  C.Rorr  or  Minks. 


Kast  of  the  Last  Chance  is  a  series  of  diorite  and  quartz 
ledges,  wide  and  of  low  grade,  of  which  little  is  known.  They 
vary  from  3  to  100  feet  in  thickness.  One  ledge  exposed  on 
the  hill,  and  owned  by  the  First  National  Bank  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, is  fully  100  feet  wide  and  is  traceable  for  over  two  miles. 
These  ledges  occur  in  succession  until  the  east  grano-diorite 
wall  is  reached. 

The  Green  Lead  was  worked  .some  years  ago,  and  appears 
to  have  a  large  deposit  of  good  ore.  It  is  in  Sec.  12,  T.  15  N., 
R.  6  E.,  and  is  opened  by  two  shafts  each  about  160  feet  deep. 
The  ores  are  peacock  copper  (bornite),  chalcopyrites,  and  red 
oxide,  mixed  with  quartz.  Formation  same  as  Last  Chance. 
Ore  has  been  shipped  to  San  Francisco  at  various  times. 


NKVADA    COUNTY COPPKR    MINES   AND   CLAIMS.  169 

The  Golden  Eagle  is  opened  b}-  a  shaft  15  feet  deep,  showing 
a  4-foot  vein  of  sulphide  of  copper  and  iron.  At  the  north  end 
line,  on  a  vein  west  of  and  parallel  with  the  Last  Chance  vein, 
is  a  shaft,  inclined  to  the  east,  150  feet  deep.  To  the  east  of 
these  veins  is  a  tunnel  70  feet  long,  driven  on  another  vein  300 
feet,  and  at  its  end  is  a  cross-cut  to  the  west  ledge.  This  vein 
carries  the  same  apparent  variety  and  grade  of  ore,  having 
some  gold  content.  A  considerable  amount  of  carbonate  ore 
shipped  from  this  mine  is  said  to  have  had  a  value  of  $12.50 
gold  per  ton  and  10  per  cent  of  copper. 

In  the  Sixteen-to-One  mine,  a  shaft  is  now  being  sunk  in  a 
20-foot  vein.  At  the  time  of  inspection  it  was  30  feet  deep,  all 
in  ore.  The  ore  appears  to  be  of  the  same  general  character  as 
in  the  other  mines  of  the  Mineral  Hill  group,  is  in  quartz  and 
diabase  gangue  matter,  and  carries  from  7  to  14  per  cent  of 
copper. 

In  the  Jackson  mine,  the  improvements  consist  of  a  450-foot 
tunnel  on  the  ledge,  started  near  the  south  end  of  the  claim. 
A  body  of  ore  was  passed  through  near  the  mouth  of  the  tun- 
nel. Most  of  this  ore  body  was  extracted  and  shipped.  It  is 
said  to  have  yielded  8  per  cent  of  copper  and  $10  in  gold.  The 
vein  is  from  6  inches  to  7  feet  in  width.  There  are  croppings 
beyond  the  breast  of  tunnel  60  feet  wide.  There  is  also  a  shaft 
50  feet  deep,  in  ore. 

The  Arkansaw  Traveler  has  a  tunnel  1 2  feet  long  showing 
a  vein  of  ore  3  feet  wide.  Ore  yielding  5  per  cent  of  copper 
and  $7  in  gold  has  been  shipped. 

The  Genevieve  has  no  openings  or  improvements  worth 
mentioning.     Owned  by  C.  C.  Bitner  and  F.  B.  Yerby. 

The  Progress  mine  has  a  shaft  30  feet  deep,  and  shows 
sulphide  ore  similar  to  that  of  the  mines  of  the  district. 

The  Monmouth  and  Climax  claims  have  a  tunnel  460  feet 
long  intended  to  tap  a  ledge,  and  two  shafts,  one  30  feet  and 
one  50  feet  deep,  on  different  veins  about  100  feet  apart.  The 
ores  are  light-colored  sulphides,  which  carry  3  to  4  per  cent  of 
copper  and  some  gold. 

There  are  gossan  outcrops  in  various  places  on  Mineral  Hill, 
especially  on  the  south  end  of  the  Advance  and  First  Chance 
claims.  All  ore  shoots  pitch  to  the  north.  All  the  veins 
passing  through  the  hill  api^ear  to  belong  to  a  lode  lying  to 


170  TH1-:    COPPER    REISorRCES   OK    CALIFORNIA. 

the  east  of  the  Spenceville  lodes.  C.  C.  Bitner  produced  and 
marketed  cement  copper  in  1880  from  the  (iolden  Eagle  ores. 

The  California  (iold  and  Copper  Company  is  now  running  a 
long  tunnel  to  obtain  several  hundred  feet  of  backs  in  its 
claims. 

The  Mineral  Hill  Mining  and  Smelting  Company  is  also 
running  a  deep  tunnel  to  obtain  500  feet  of  depth  under  the 
best  of  its  claims.  This  tunnel  has  already  cut  three  very 
promising  ledges. 

The  facilities  for  working  any  group  of  the  above  mines  are 
excellent.  An  aliundance  of  heavy  pine  timber  stands  on  the 
claims,  and  covers  the  adjoining  country.  The  abruptness  of 
the  hills  makes  tunnel  mining  possible  for  many  years  to  come. 
Water  for  power  could  be  obtained  from  the  Excelsior  Water 
Company,  one  of  whose  ditches  passes  along  the  top  of  the 
hill. 

Ledges  of  copper-bearing  rocks  not  greatly  prospected  appear 
in  places  along  the  belt  to  the  north  county  line  at  Yuba  River. 
From  the  Cireen  Eead  going  north,  the  belt  appears  to  swing 
to  the  east  and  passes  through  the  east  half  of  Sec.  i,  T.  15  N., 
R.  6  E..  and  Sec.  6,  T.  15  N.,  R.  7  E.,  by  the  old  Hartley  house. 
It  thence  makes  to  the  north  through  Sec.  31,  T.  16  N.,  R.  7  E., 
and  then  through  Sees.  31  and  19,  T.  16  N.,  R.  7  E.,  to  the  Yuba 
River.  There  are  no  extensive  workings  on  this  section  of  the 
belt;  croppings  and  shallow  holes  indicate  the  course  of  the 
belt,  which  follows  closely  the  grano-diorite  formation. 

On  the  road  from  Smartsville  to  Grass  Valley  copper  crop- 
pings may  be  seen  on  the  Finie  ranch  and  on  the  Campbell 
ranch.  Croppings  occur  also  one  mile  south  of  the  J.  Fenni- 
more  ranch.  Here  the  vein  matter  is  about  40  feet  wide,  but 
not  prospected. 

Toward  the  south  and  southeast  of  Mineral  Hill,  the  copper 
belt  passes  through  the  Bingers  ranch,  about  four  miles  south 
of  Mineral  Hill,  where  there  are  strong  croppings.  Springs  on 
this  property  are  very  strongly  impregnated  with  copper. 

Near  French  Corral,  in  T.  17  N..  R.  7  E.,  there  is  a  large 
deposit  of  pyrites  carrying  chalcopyrites;  undeveloped.  Daniel 
Roberts,  owner. 


YUBA  cor  XT  Y.  171 

Near  Sweetland,  in  T.  17  X.,  R.  s  I-",.,  is  an  unc.\])lore(l 
copper  vein. 

In  Washington  Townshij),  Sec.  M,  T.  i.S  N.,  R.  11  ]C.,  is  a 
Yein  6  feet  wide,  carrying  cojjper,  but  little  develoj^ed.  Iv  T. 
\\'orthle>-,  owner. 

Near  North  Hloomfield,  in  Sec.  6,  T.  18  N.,  R.  10  Iv,  is  a 
claim  called  the  Kdison  Copper  Mine;  Otto  W'oehler,  owner. 
It  is  opened  by  a  shaft  45  feet  deep,  following  the  vein.  The 
hanging  wall  is  a  schistose  diabase;  the  foot  wall  is  serpentine. 
The  vein  averages  about  13  feet  in  width  in  the  bottom  of  the 
shaft,  where  some  drifting  has  been  done.  It  is  reported  to 
carry  3^'^  per  cent  of  copper  and  $3.25  in  gold.  There  is  also 
a  tunnel  driven  240  feet.  At  the  face  of  the  tunnel  drifts  have 
been  run  on  the  vein  25  and  15  feet  in  length,  respectively. 


yi:ba  county. 


To  the  west  of  Nevada  and  also  north  of  its  western  portion 
lies  the  small  valley  and  foothill  county  of  Yuba,  which  pre- 
sents a  few  occurrences  of  copper  ores.  These  are  but  a  few 
miles  from  Nevada  County's  line  of  deposits,  and  may  be 
regarded  as  belonging  to  the  same  belt,  flanking  it  in  the 
manner  of  so  many  occurrences  that  elsewhere  mark  the  var\- 
ing  zone  described  as  the  general  foothill  belt.  The  principal 
occurrences  are  on  the  Demp.sey  ranch,  five  miles  north  of 
Spenceville,  near  the  county  line,  and  on  the  Brady  ranch,  in 
the  southern  portion  of  the  county  west  of  Spenceville  and 
northwest  of  the  chief  occurrences  in  Placer  County. 

Dempsey  Ranch. — Here  bold  croppings  over  400  feet  wide, 
exhibiting  gossan  croppings,  present  interesting  surface  indi- 
cations of  what  may  be  a  large  copper  deposit.  Some  samples 
of  ore  have  assayed  35  per  cent  copper.  This  prospect  is  on  a 
productive  ranch  and  has  received  little  intelligent  development, 
the  latter  consisting  of  some  prospect  holes  and  a  tunnel  100 
feet  long. 


1  ( 2  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Brady  Ranch. — (Jn  this  ranch,  in  Sec.  i,  T.  15  X.,  R.  5  E., 
and  in  Sec.  35,  T.  16  N.,  R.  5  E.,  croppings  occur  and  there  is 
an  old  abandoned  shaft,  the  water  from  which  is  strongly 
impregnated  with  copper.  Prospect  holes  trace  the  belt  south- 
east to  Bear  River,  through  Sees.  21,  22,  27,  and  28,  T.  14  N., 
R.  6  E.  On  the  Brady  ranch  is  what  is  called  the  Old  Red 
Ledge,  wherein  red  oxide  of  copper  is  visible.  This  deposit 
was  quite  extensively  exploited  in  1 863. 


PLACER  COUNTY. 


Placer,  one  of  the  tier  of  rich  mining  counties  which  span 
the  Sierra  range,  lies  south  of  Nevada  Count}',  and  in  its  length 
of  100  miles  it  reaches  from  the  angle  in  the  State's  eastern 
boundary  down  into  the  Sacramento  \'alley,  possessing  in  its 
foothills  a  section  of  the  copper  belt.  Its  physical  character- 
istics are  those  common  to  its  neighbors  of  the  great  range,  as 
were  the  general  features  of  its  early  mining  period.  It  shared 
largely  in  the  prosperity  of  the  period  of  hydraulic  mining 
through  the  possession  of  rich  and  extensive  ancient  river 
channels. 

Its  drift  mines  now  give  it  its  claim  to  preeminence  in  one 
feature  of  the  raining  industry.  In  the  Forest  Hill  Divide,  a 
great  spur  of  the  range,  reaching  westward  down  the  slope  for 
25  miles,  there  lies  deeply  buried  under  lava  cappings  the  most 
extensive  network  of  ancient  river  channels  found  along  the 
range,  and  in  this  divide  are  the  chief  drift  mines  of  the  world. 
This  divide  has  yielded  over  $30,000,000,  and  the  bulk  of  the 
total  current  output  of  the  drift  mines  of  the  State  is  yet 
credited  to  Placer  County. 

A  little  to  its  south,  in  El  Dorado  Count\-,  is  what  is 
generally  taken  to  be  the  northern  end  of  the  Mother  Lode, 
and  a  little  to  its  north,  in  Nevada  County,  are  the  famous 
Grass  Valley  and  Nevada  City  mining  districts.  The  great 
Sierra  gold  belt  crosses  the  county,  presenting  innumerable  and 
widely  distributed  quartz  veins,  and  there  are  many  rich  mines, 
but  quartz  mining  is  yet  in  a  relatively  backward  condition. 
The  gold  output  in  1900  was  nearly  $1,000,000.     Granite  and 


PI.ACKK    COUNTY — C(n'Pl-:K    MINKS    AND    CLAIMS.  173 

]iottery  are  the  chief  additional  features  of  its  mineral  industry, 
in  which  Placer  County  holds  a  leading  place.  Iron,  chrome, 
manganese,  marble,  limestone,  and  mineral  waters  are  among 
its  other  mineral  resources.  I^ake  Tahoe,  at  an  elevation  of 
over  6000  feet,  lumber  forests,  and  a  rich  horticultural  region 
in  the  foothills,  are  among  other  features  of  the  county.  The 
Central  Pacific  Railroad  traverses  the  entire  length  of  the 
county  along  its  northern  border. 

At  various  places  along  an  irregular  line  across  the  western 
portion  of  the  county  the  foothill  mineral  belt  displays  copper 
deposits.  A  few  have  been  prospected  and  small  amounts  of 
copper  ore  have  been  shipped.  Some  very  wide  veins  are 
displayed,  but  Placer  County  has  not  yet  made  copper  a 
prominent  feature  of  its  mineral  industry. 

Algol  Mine. — This  is  one  of  the  copper  prospects  opened  in 
the  early  sixties  and  subsequently  abandoned.  The  present 
owner  has  re-opened  it  within  the  past  three  years.  It  is  in 
Sec.  9,  T.  13  N.,  R.  7  E.,  a  few  miles  southeast  of  Spenceville, 
Nevada  County.  The  vein  channel  is  50  to  60  feet  wide.  The 
more  highly  mineralized  portion  constituting  the  ore  is  from 
20  inches  to  10  feet  in  width,  the  ore  occurring  in  lenses.  The 
length  of  ore  now  forming  the  shoot  is  90  feet.  There  is  one 
shaft  120  feet  deep,  with  a  drift  running  north  100  feet,  and 
another  shaft  120  feet  deep,  with  drifts  at  the  50-  and  100-foot 
levels.  A  cross-cut  runs  from  one  shaft  for  65  feet  to  the  west. 
The  ores  are  red  oxide  and  blue  and  green  copper  minerals, 
besides  considerable  native  copper  in  sheets  and  bunches. 
Native  gold  also  accompanies  this  deposit.  Ten  carloads  of 
ore  were  shipped  to  a  reduction  works,  which  averaged  20  per 
cent  copper.  A  horse-whim  is  used  for  hoisting,  and  a  boiler 
and  steam-pump  raise  the  moderate  daily  amount  of  water. 
Electric  power  for  mining  and  reduction  purposes  can  be 
readily  obtained. 

On  the  south  of  the  Algol  mine  there  is  a  shaft  on  an 
extension  claim,  80  feet  deep.  This  shows  copper  ore.  Far- 
ther to  the  south,  going  to  Coon  Creek,  there  are  five  shafts, 
with  depths  of  about  50  feet  each,  sunk  years  ago,  and  all 
showing  strong  copper  indications.  Farther  south,  beyond 
Coon  Creek,  there  is  a  shaft  40  feet  deep,  showing  some  copper. 
On  the  Lardner  ranch,  and  on  the  Keiler  ranch,  three  miles 


174  THK    COl'PKR    RKSOURCK.S    OK    CAI.IFOKXIA. 

south  of  Lardner's,  there  are   also  strong  croppings  of  copper- 
bearing  rocks. 

Valley  View  Mine. — This  property  lies  six  miles  north  of 
Ivincoln;  patented;  90  acres.  The  vein  matter  is  200  feet  wide 
between  walls.  The  ore  is  37  feet  wide  and  the  walls  are  a 
schistose  rock.  There  are  three  shafts,  respectively  90,  100, 
and  130  feet  deep.  Between  the  middle  and  south  shafts  most 
of  the  development  has  been  done.  There  is  a  tunnel  50  feet 
in  ore.  Another  tunnel,  130  feet  long,  taps  the  vein  90  feet 
below  the  surface.  There  are  gossan  croppings  100  feet  wide 
for  over  1000  feet  along  the  vein.  This  gossan  carries  in  gold 
and  silver  from  $1  to  $10  per  ton,  and  is  reported  to  average 
$4  per  ton.  The  mine  "Was  worked  for  years  for  the  gold  in 
the  gossan.  The  mine  has  shipped  copper  ore  averaging 
about  5  per  cent  copper.  There  are  two  iive-foot  Huntington 
mills  and  various  buildings.  The  owner  is  the  Valle}-  View 
Mining  Company,  of  San  Francisco. 

The  estate  of  Charles  T.  Reed  owns  1400  acres  of  land,  on 
which  there  is  a  shaft  25  feet  deep,  showing  indications  of 
copper.     This  is  in  the  Clipper  Gap  district.     Idle. 

North  of  Auburn,  four  miles  on  the  road  to  Grass  \'alley, 
there  are  indications  of  copper. 

Big  Pine  Mine.— In  vSec.  16,  T.  12  N.,  R.  8  E.;  J.  A.  Bouk 
and  C.  R.  Bushnell,  owners.  Shaft  170  feet  deep,  showing 
chalcopyrite,  said  to  carry  10  to  12  per  cent  of  copper.     Idle. 


liL  I)(  )R.V1)( )  COUNTY. 


El  Dorado  County,  the  scene  of  Marshall's  discovery  of  gold 
and  the  earliest  beginning  of  the  modern  era  of  gold  mining, 
includes,  through  its  lower  western  portion,  along  the  edge  of 
the  Sacramento  Valley,  about  25  miles  of  the  foothill  copper 
belt.  Along  this  line  the  belt  mentioned  displays  many  copper 
deposits  that  have  been  prospected  in  the  superficial  way 
common  to  the  Sierra  Nevada  array  of  these  deposits.  They 
are  but  a  little  north  of  the  section  of  the  belt  through  Amador 


KI.    DOKADO    CorNTY.  l"o 

and  Calaveras  counties,  in  whicli  the  chief  development  and 
production  of  this  copj^er  belt  have  occurred. 

None  of  the  counties  of  the  sloi:)e  presents  more  favorable 
conditions  for  mining  and  none  offers  a  wider  or  more  attractive 
field  for  mining  enterprise.  The  chief  of  the  mineral  belts  that 
cross  the  county  is  the  Mother  Lode,  the  northern  end  of 
which  is  near  the  northern  boundary  and  along  which,  across 
the  county  southward,  is  a  succession  of  valuable  and  promis- 
ing quartz  mines.  Since  the  exhaustion  of  the  rich  surface 
placers  and  the  cessation  of  hydraulic  mining,  quartz  mining 
is  the  leading  feature  of  the  county's  mining  industry.  There 
are  many  miles  of  unprospected  ancient  river  channels.  The 
northern  and  southern  boundaries  are  formed  respectixely  by 
the  Middle  Fork  of  the  American  and  the  Cosumnes  River, 
and  these  streams,  with  the  South  Fork  of  the  American  and 
the  many  tributary  streams,  bounteously  water  the  county  and 
aflford  convenient  sources  of  power.  The  timber  resources  are 
those  common  to  the  slope.  The  western  portion  of  the 
county  has  a  delightful  climate,  and  the  foothill  mineral  belt 
runs  through  a  rich  and  settled  region.  It  is  crossed  by  the 
branch  railroad  running  to  Placer\'ille.  While  gold  remains 
the  mineral  j^roduct  of  overshadowing  importance,  the  county 
has  other  minerals  in  large  variety.  Near  Placerville  is  an 
eight-mile  belt  of  finely  laminated  slates,  in  which  several  slate 
quarries  have  been  opened.  In  1900,  3500  squares  of  superior 
roofing  slate  were  produced,  and  the  industry  is  increasing 
the  county's  prosperity.  This  is  the  only  county  in  which  slate 
is  commercially  produced. 

In  1900,  3125  pounds  of  copper,  the  product  of  ore  shipments 
from  developing  prospects,  was  credited  to  El  Dorado  County. 
While  a  number  of  the  best  developed  copper  properties  dis- 
play very  wide  veins  carrying  ores  that  often  assay  well  and 
continuous  gossan  cappings  of  copper-bearing  lodes  can  be 
traced  for  miles,  no  producing  mines  of  importance  have  been 
developed.  Tunnels  and  drifts  aggregating  thousands  of  feet 
have  been  run  in  the  work  of  prospecting,  and  several  prop- 
erties have  thus  been  opened  sufficiently  to  indicate  values 
worthy  at  least  of  investments  necessary  for  further  explora- 
tion. Some  of  the  ore  bodies  carry  good  values  in  gold  and 
silver  along  with  good  percentages  of  copper  sulphides.     The 


176  THE   COPPER   RESOURCES   OF  CALIFORNIA. 

characteristics  of  both  vein  matter  and  walls  display  much 
variety.  During  the  past  two  years  several  properties  have 
been  undergoing  development. 

Alabaster  Cave  Mine. — Located  in  Sees.  lo  and  15, 
T.  II  N.,  R.  8  E.,  seven  miles  east  from  Newcastle,  Placer 
County;  owner,  Holmes  Lime  Company,  of  San  Francisco. 
The  mine  is  now  bonded  to  Anderson  &  Hoagland.  The  mine 
is  on  180  acres  of  patented  land.  The  vein  can  be  traced  for 
over  six  miles.  Croppings  of  gossan  are  solid  for  1 200  feet  in 
length,  and  in  places  are  over  30  feet  wide.  The  hanging  wall 
is  limestone;  the  foot  wall,  slate.  The  ledge  is  very  strong 
and  unbroken.  The  vein  matter  is  partially  a  mineralized 
diabase.  The  ore  is  oxide  and  carbonate  near  the  surface;  in 
depth  it  is  sulphide.  The  ore  is  said  to  average  4  per  cent 
copper,  with  small  amounts  of  gold  and  silver.  On  the  dump 
there  are  about  50  tons  of  ore  said  to  assay  1 3  per  cent  copper. 
The  openings  consist  of  three  shafts,  one  of  300  feet  depth 
and  two  of  50  feet;  they  all  expose  the  same  character  of  ore. 
The  pay  ore  averages  3  to  8  feet  in  width.  The  vein  matter 
is  1 2  to  20  feet  between  walls.  Some  native  copper  appears  on 
the  wall  rocks  in  thin  sheets.  There  are  two  tunnels,  one  of 
100  feet  and  one  of  30  feet.     Developing. 

Kelley  Bros,  own  a  mine  on  the  560  acres  of  patented 
ground  in  Sec.  11,  T.  11  N.,  R.  8  E.,  two  miles  southwest  from 
Pilot  Hill,  and  one  and  a  half  miles  south  from  the  Alabaster 
Cave  mine.  The  main  vein  is  40  feet  wide.  No  capping. 
There  is  a  network  of  ledges  similar  to  the  White  Rock 
country  in  Mariposa  County.  The  openings  are  2000  feet  of 
drifts  and  tunnels.  The  ores  carry  gold,  silver,  and  copper. 
One  ledge  is  reported  to  yield  ore  assaying  5  to  1 1  per  cent 
copper. 

Lilyama  Mine. — In  Sec.  3,  T.  11  N.,  R.  9  E. ;  owners, 
Robert  Crocker  &  Co.,  of  Placerville.  The  property  consists 
of  240  acres  of  patented  land.  The  length  of  the  vein  covered 
by  the  claim  is  half  a  mile;  the  width,  from  600  to  800  feet. 
Granite  forms  the  east  wall,  and  quartz  porphyry  the  west. 
Between  these  lies  a  band  of  mineralized  limestone,  probably 
pitching  to  the  east.  The  croppings  are  gossan  and  nearly 
pure  black  iron  oxide  (magnetite).     The  deposits  were  first 


KI.    1K)RAIM1    COUNTY — COPPER    CLAIMS.  177 

slightly  oj^ened  in  the  sixties  by  cuts  and  short  tunnels,  which 
were  driven  until  they  encountered  the  ironstone.  When  that 
was  reached  the  prospectors  quit,  just  before  encountering  the 
copper  ore,  for  which  they  were  evidently  seeking.  The  later 
developments  were  commenced  in  August,  1899,  and  were  con- 
tinued about  a  year.  They  consist  of  four  main  tunnels  and 
one  prospect  shaft  20  feet  deep.  The  ores  are  principally  sul- 
jihides,  but  there  are  also  other  varieties  of  copper  ore.  The 
ore  masses  occur  in  lenses  in  the  limestone.  The  mine  is 
eleven  miles  from  Auburn,  Placer  County,  connected  with  that 
]ilace  by  a  good  stage  road.  There  are  now  300  tons  of  ore  on 
the  dumps. 

Pioneer  Mine. — This  is  an  exten.sion  of  the  Lilyaraa.  The 
vein  ore  and  formation  are  precisely  the  same  in  both  mines. 
It  is  in  Sec.  3,  T.  11  N.,  R.  9  Iv  The  owner  is  William 
Haaker.  The  vein  matter  is  50  to  60  feet  wide.  The  vein 
runs  the  length  of  the  .So  acres  of  patented  ground.  It  is 
opened  by  a  main  tunnel  900  feet  long  with  two  branches,  one 
of  350  feet  and  another  of  200  feet.  There  are  two  shafts,  one 
of  90  feet  and  one  of  100  feet,  connected  at  bottom  by  a  drift 
50  feet  long.     These  encounter  a  good  body  of  ore.     Idle. 

Homestead. — This  property,  which  has  been  worked  for 
the  gold  contents  of  a  ledge  14  feet  wide,  is  three  miles  we.st 
of  Greenwood  at  the  northern  side  of  the  county,  and  displays 

ore  carrying  a  considerable  percentage  of  copper.     Owner, 

McCrar>-. 

Cambrian  Mine. — In  vSec.  23,  T.  11  N.,  R.  9  E.,  about  ten 
miles  from  Placerville.  When  first  opened  in  the  fifties  it  was 
for  gold,  but  latterly  the  good  percentage  of  copper  has  brought 
this  mineral  into  prominence.  The  present  owner  is  the 
Cambrian  Mining  and  Milling  Company,  a  corporation,  of  which 
F.  Thomas  is  president,  Leonard  Thomas  general  manager, 
and  D.  R.  Roberts  superintendent.  The  company  took  po.s.session 
in  Januar}',  1 898.  The  width  of  the  three  veins  passing  through 
the  property  is  from  15 '4  feet  down  to  an  average  of  6  to  8 
feet.  The  veins  are  from  50  to  70  feet  apart.  The  vein 
mattef  is  talcose  schist  and  lime.  The  east  wall  is  grano- 
diorite,  the  west  serpentine.  Between  these  are  bands  of 
schist  and  limestone.  The  croppings  are  talcose  schist  and 
12— BuL.  23 


178  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

gossans  in  the  schistose  rock.  All  clip  to  the  east.  There  are 
three  tunnels — one  of  113  feet,  the  second  of  220  feet,  the 
third  of  1360  feet  in  length.  Also  two  winzes,  each  187  feet 
below  the  1360-foot  tunnel.  There  are  over  1350  feet  of  drifts. 
The  ore  is  sulphide,  green  carbonate,  red  oxide,  and  native 
copper,  and  carries  reported  values  from  S  to  16  per  cent 
copper.  The  most  interesting  feature,  however,  of  this  ore  is 
the  quantity  of  gold  it  carries.  The  company  has  shipped 
several  carloads  of  ore  as  it  came  from  the  vein  with  no  assort- 
ing, reported  to  be  to  per  cent  copper.  There  are  now 
employed  about  the  place  20  men  doing  development  work. 

Cosumnes  Copper  Mine. — This  property  lies  off  the  copper 
belt  east  of  the  Mother  Lode,  in  Sec.  25,  T.  9  N.,  R.  12  E.,  and 
was  opened  in  very  early  times.  The  vein  courses  east  of 
north  and  west  of  south,  and  is  in  mineralized  limestone  and 
amphibolite  schist.  The  ore  is  sulphide,  green  and  blue  car- 
bonate, oxide,  silicate,  and  peacock,  with  reported  values  of 
over  4  per  cent  copper.  One  tunnel,  100  feet  long,  cuts  the  vein 
for  30  feet,  and  is  not  yet  through  to  the  wall.  A  winze  is 
sunk  in  the  tunnel  30  feet,  all  in  ore.  Another  tunnel,  150  feet 
long,  passes  westerly  through  a  light-colored  diorite  rock  to 
the  vein,  and  then  turns  and  follows  its  cour.se  for  60  feet. 
Another  tunnel  runs  toward  the  east  for  So  feet  through  the 
granite  hanging  wall.  The  limestone  belt  is  500  feet  wide. 
There  appears  to  be  no  iron  capping.  The  sulphides  come  to 
the  surface  in  the  limestone.     Idle. 

Wm.  Barklege  and  S.  W.  Miller  own  a  claim  in  Sec.  13, 
T.  12  N.,  R.  10  E.,  on  140  acres  of  patented  ground.  The 
croppings  show  a  gossan  cap  100  feet  wide.  A  tunnel  has 
been  driven  118  feet,  and  is  expected  to  strike  the  vein  at  a 
depth  of  2.S0  feet.  Very  little  development  has  been  done. 
There  are  indications  of  copper.    The  formation  is  slate.     Idle. 

Contraband  Tunnel  Claim. — Located  near  Georgetown,  in 
Sec.  24,  T.  12  X.,  R.  10  E.  Owner,  O.  P.  Ford.  Besides  tun- 
nels which  show  ore  carr>'ing  copper  from  a  trace  to  i  per 
cent,  there  is  an  inclined  shaft  40  feet  deep,  and  in  this  there 
is  an  oxidized  ore  that  shows  native  copper  and  ore  containing 
10  to  18  per  cent  copper.  The  vein  is  about  12  feet  wide.  The 
hanging  wall  is  micaceous  schist.  The  foot  wall  is  not 
reached.     Idle. 


cosrMNi'.s  cnn'i;K  mini;.  i;i.  dorado  corNTv 


LON  TRAIiAN  I)    ITNM-.I.,   I.I.    IH'KADo  CorNTN'. 


(IT'.M 


180  THK    COPPKK    KHSOURCES    OK    CALIKOkN  lA. 

Arizona  Claim. — North  of  the  abo\-e  described  tunnel.  It 
has  gossan  croppings  loo  feet  wide. 

Copper  Chief. — Owners,  William  James  and  L.  A.  Beck- 
stead.  Lies  in  T.  12  X.,  R.  10  E.,  two  miles  east  of  George- 
town. Gossan  croppings  100  to  200  feet  wide.  Walls 
serpentine.     No  development. 

Agara  Claim. — "Big  Jim,"  a  Chinese,  owner;  one  half  mile 
north  of  the  Cosumnes  mine,  in  Sec.  19,  T.  S  X.,  R.  9  E.  Shaft 
25  feet  deep.     Idle. 

* 

Boston  Mine. — This  is  an  old  mine  about  four  miles  west 
of  Shingle  Springs,  in'Sec.  22,  T.  9  N.,  R.  9  E.  It  has  a  shaft 
about  400  feet  deep.  The  owners  extracted  and  shipped  good 
ore  up  to  the  seventies.  \'ein  matter,  schists;  ore,  sulphides. 
Has  been  idle  for  many  years. 

Dr.  Wren  Claim. — In  Sec.  7.  T.  9  X.,  R.  11  E.;  east  of 
Cilio's  ranch,  and  east  of  the  Mother  Lode.  Vein  matter 
talcose  schist,  foot  wall  porphj-ry,  hanging  wall  black  slate. 
Vein,  6  feet  wide;  shaft,  18  feet  deep.  Several  open  cuts. 
Reported  values  5  to  1 8  per  cent  copper.     Idle. 

Robert  Claim. — Owned  by  W.  L.  and  L.  Robert,  in  Sec.  13, 
T.  9  X.,  R.  II  E.  Vein  is  2i]i  f^^t  wide.  Formation  slate, 
with  a  quartz  vein  on  the  east  side.  Foot  wall  schist,  hanging 
wall  slate.  Shaft  80  feet  deep  and  a  tunnel  150  feet  long, 
tapping  ledge.  Copper  content  reported  to  be  from  4  to  24 
per  cent.     Idle. 

There  are  several  holes  between  vShingle  Springs  and 
Latrobe,  where  former  prospectors  searched  for  copper.  The 
developments  are,  however,  so  slight  that  they  ser\-e  to 
indicate  the  presence  of  copper  ore  rather  than  the  extent  of  it. 

The  Br>ant  ranch,  in  Sec.  2,  T.  8  X.,  R.  9  E.,  one  and  a  half 
miles  northeast  from  Latrobe.  Ledge  4  feet  wide;  shaft  65 
feet  deep.  Idle  since  i86o.  Ore  carbonate  and  gray  oxide 
copper.  Owner,  "  Big  Jim,"  a  Chinese,  who  also  owns  a 
property  in  Sec.  8,  T.  8  X.,  R.  9  E.,  five  miles  north  of  Copper 
Hill.  Vein  6  inches  wide.  Tunnel  100  feet.  Ore  carbonate 
and  gray  copper.     Idle. 


EI.    ixiKAlX)    COUNTY COPl'KR    CLAIMS.  iSl 

About  a  mile  north  of  Latrobe  a  prospect  owned  by  W.  \V. 
Woods  displays  a  shaft  12  feet  deep  in  a  vein  5  feet  wide. 
Stron>;  iron  capping.  Vein  matter  schistose  diaba.se.  Ore 
sulphide  and  oxides  of  copper. 

Bunker  Hill  Claim.— In  Sec.  14,  T.  12  N.,  R.  9  E.,  four 
miles  southwcsl  of  Oreenwood.  There  is  a  shaft  60  feet  deep. 
Good  ore.     Owner, Terry. 

Rip  and  Tear  Mine. — Two  miles  north  of  Latrobe.  The 
owner,  W.  H.  Dodson,  has  160  acres  patented,  on  which  the 
copper  belt  appears.  There  is  a  shaft  100  feet  deep,  show- 
ing ma.ssive  pyrite  containing  copper.  Some  ore  has  been 
shipped.  The  ores  are  sulphide,  green  carbonate,  and  red 
oxide.  The  vein  is  about  5  feet  wide.  Still  farther  north, 
about  one  mile,  there  is  on  the  same  property  another  shaft  40 
feet  deep.  The  formation  of  the  latter  claim  is  the  same  as 
that  of  the  former.     Idle. 

Bob  Mine. — This  is  a  patented  claim,  formerly  known  as 
the  Iron  Crown  mine.  It  is  owned  bj-  S.  B.  Selkirk  and  Col. 
George  W.  Dent,  and  is  located  in  Sec.  13,  T.  12  N.,  R.  10  K., 
one  and  one  quarter  miles  east  of  Georgetown.  There  is  a 
gossan  capping  from  40  to  300  feet  wide.  The  croppings  show 
distinctly  in  one  place  200  feet  in  width  and  can  be  traced  for 
Soo  feet  in  length.  The  ledge  can  be  traced  for  ten  miles  north 
and  south.  One  spur  on  the  north  end  crops  40  feet  wide 
about  400  feet  south  of  the  north  line.  About  1 200  feet  from 
the  south  line  Miller  &  Barklege  are  running  a  tunnel  to  tap 
the  ledge  at  a  depth  of  200  feet.  Farther  south  on  same  belt 
at  the  F'ord  mine  considerable  work  is  being  done.  Beyond 
the  Ford  mine  only  croppings  show,  no  work  having  been 
done.  There  are  two  locations  north  of  the  Bob  claim  showing 
strong  croppings  of  copper.  No  work  has  been  done  on  them. 
The  developments  in  the  Bob  mine  consist  of  one  75-foot  shaft, 
which  was  sunk  on  the  east  wall,  and  two  shallow  cuts.  The 
shaft  was  sunk  to  reach  the  ledge  at  a  depth  of  100  feet.  The 
water  in  the  shaft  carries  copper  in  solution.  The  vein  is 
between  serpentine  and  slate  walls,  highly  mineralized.  The 
Dark  Caiion  ditch  runs  through  the  claim.  From  12  to  15  per 
cent  of  copper  and  $30  in  gold  are  the  reported  values  in  the 


182  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OK   CALIFORNIA. 

I'ord  mine  on  the  same  belt  as  the  Bob  mine.  In  the  Bol)  mine 
the  reported  values  are  $7  in  gold,  silver  1.58  oz.,  besides  some 
copper. 

Noonday. — A  prospect  in  the  Diamond  Springs  mining  dis- 
trict, in  Sec.  18,  T.  9  X.,  R.  11  E.,  owned  by  Wrenu  &  Proctor 
of  Placerville.  Shafts,  respectively  17  and  28  feet  deep,  showed 
a  6-foot  vein  carrying  ore  yielding  from  traces  to  10  per  cent  of 
copper  and  about  $3  in  gold  per  ton,  with  a  little  silver.  Since 
the  mine  was  visited  it  has  been  bonded  b}'  the  Peyton 
Chemical  Compan\-  of  San  Francisco,  which  has  proceeded 
with  development. 

A  few  tons  of  copper  ore  assaying  from  15  to  18  per  cent, 
with  some  gold  and  silver,  have  been  shipped,  during  develop- 
ment, from  a  claim  in  Sec.  8,  T.  13  N.,  R.  8  E.,  seven  miles 
north  of  Auburn,  and  owned  by  Peter  Oest  of  Auburn. 


AMADOR  COUNTY. 


Amador  County,  chiefl}'  famed  for  its  gold  mines,  holds  high 
rank  in  copper  resources  and  total  output  of  copper  among 
the  counties  of  the  Foothill  Belt.  It  displays  copper-bearing 
formations  similar  to  those  of  its  neighbor  on  the  south,  Cala- 
veras County,  in  which  the  copper  indu.strj^  of  the  State  began, 
and  in  which  the  most  important  mines  of  the  copper  belt  have 
been  developed.  In  1861  and  the  succeeding  years  of  that 
]>eriod,  several  mines  which  were  opened  yielded  considerable 
quantities  of  shipping  ore,  but  only  one  has  ever  been  equipped 
with  a  reduction  plant  worthy  of  note.  This  is  the  Newton, 
which  has  been  one  of  the  leading  and  well-known  copper 
mines  of  the  belt  for  a  long  period,  though  for  a  number  of 
3'ears  it  has  been  idle  or  worked  on  a  small  scale.  It  has  a 
smelting  plant  of  small  capacity,  but  the  intermittent  opera- 
tions of  recent  years  have  been  confined  to  leaching  ore-piles, 
chiefly  the  old  dumps.  In  1900  the  county  was  credited  with 
220,000  pounds  of  copper  cement,  the  output  of  the  Newton. 

This  is  a  comparatively  small  county,  reaching  as  a  narrow 


AMADOR    Cor.NTV COI'l'IiK    MINi;S    AND    CLAIMS.  183 

strij)  Ironi  the  .summit  ot  the  Sierra  range  to  the  low  foothills. 
In  the  higher  vSierras  are  splendid  forests  and  manj-  lakes,  the 
latter  including  the  group  known  as  the  Blue  Lakes,  which 
conserve  the  water-supply  of  an  extensive  canal  and  ditch 
system,  and  also  of  one  of  the  largest  electric  power  plants  of 
the  State.  Amador  is  distinctively  a  gold-mining  county,  and 
one  of  the  leading  ones  of  the  State,  as  its  gold  output  of 
Si, 373,7X8  in  1900  testifies.  Its  fame  as  a  mining  county  rests 
mainly  on  the  section  of  the  Mother  Lode  belt  that  crosses  it. 
Along  this  belt  ar^  ranged  the  Kennedy,  Argonaut,  Zeile, 
Oneida,  Central  Eureka,  Wildman-Mahoney,  Keystone,  and 
other  widely  known  gold  quartz  mines  now  in  active  operation. 
Here  has  been  the  chief  scene  of  the  succe.ssful  re-oj^ening  of 
old  quartz  mines  at  great  depth,  and  of  the  demonstration  of 
the  deep  values  of  the  Mother  Lode.  Lignite  has  been  mined 
in  the  western  portion  of  the  county  for  many  years.  Marble 
and  building-stone  are  quarried,  and  pottery  clay  is  actively 
])roduced.  Ouite  a  number  of  diamonds  have  been  found  in 
auriferous  gravels  covering  volcanic  formations  near  Volcano. 
A  branch  railroad  reaches  lone  in  the  foothills. 

Newton  Mine. — This  has  been  the  principal  copper  mine  of 
Amador  County  during  the  pa.st  forty  years  and  is  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  extensively  developed  mines  of  the  foothill 
copper  belt.  It  is  located  at  Ranlett,  four  miles  east  of  lone, 
on  the  stage  road  to  Jackson  and  vSutter  Creek.  It  was  opened 
in  the  early  sixties  and  worked  quite  vigorously  prior  to  1866. 
Since  then,  operations  have  been  intermittent  and  generally  on 
a  small  .scale.  In  1886  it  passed  to  its  present  owners,  the 
Xewton  Copper  Company,  Col.  Horace  D.  Ranlett,  of  Ranlett, 
one  of  the  oldest  copper  operators  of  the  State,  president  and 
manager.  It  was  re-opened  in  18S7,  was  worked  at  intervals 
thereafter,  and  in  1889  an  80-ton  smelter  was  installed.  Dur- 
ing 1 89 1  leaching  ore  for  cement  was  active  and  still  continues. 
This  mine  is  in  one  of  the  lodes  that  can  be  traced  for  several 
miles  through  this  portion  of  the  county.  The  go.ssan -capped 
vein  is  from  4  to  8  feet  wide,  courses  east  of  north,  dips 
70  degrees  to  the  east,  and  displays  .solid  lenticular  ore  bodies, 
not  mingled  with  the  containing  rock,  as  is  the  case  at  Copper- 
opolis  and  mines  elsewhere.  The  property  has  been  opened  by 
two  shafts,  one  150  and  one  430  feet  deep,  and  by  2000  feet  of 


184  THK    COPPER    RKSOURCKS   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

drifts  on  four  levels,  besides  winzes  and  stopes.  The  richest 
ores  were  yielded  in  the  workings  at  the  south  end  of  the  mine, 
from  which  much  ore  running  15  to  25  per  cent  was  shipped 
long  ago,  and  where  mining  ceased  at  300  feet.  To  the  north 
of  the  main  shaft,  where  more  recent  operations  have  been 
carried  on,  the  ore  is  reported  to  average  7  per  cent.  The  ores 
are  sulphides  and  carry  small  gold  values.  They  are  well 
adapted  for  leaching. 

One  interesting  feature  of  this  mine  is  the  extensive  miner- 
alization of  the  foot  wall,  composed  of  sandstone  and  miner- 
alized slate.  It  was  but  recently  discovered  that  here  the 
country  rock,  to  a  distance  of  15  to  25  feet  from  the  vein,  was 
filled  with  mineral  depositions,  mainly  sulphurets,  carrying  3 
to  6  per  cent  copper  and  considerable  iron.  This  mineralized 
mass,  which  accompanies  the  vein  as  far  as  explored,  exhibits 
partial  oxidation  to  a  considerable  depth.  The  material  easily 
disintegrates,  and  under  all  the  circumstances  could  be  cheaply 
mined.  During  recent  months.  Colonel  Ranlett  has  made 
some  experiments  to  test  the  possibility  of  leaching  this 
material  for  copper  without  roasting.  It  could  be  so  leached, 
as  mined  to  the  degree  in  which  oxidation  has  occurred,  and 
would  respond  to  successive  leachings  to  the  extent  of  further 
oxidation  in  exposed  dump  piles,  as  do  the  piles  of  roasted  ore 
so  treated. 

The  most  recent  period  of  activity  at  the  Newton  mine 
began  in  1899,  under  the  stimulus  of  copper  prices.  A  smelt- 
ing plant,  consisting  of  one  80-ton  water-jacket  blast  furnace 
of  modern  type,  was  installed  and  the  surface  plant  generally 
improved.  The  hoist  is  now  capable  of  operating  to  1000  feet. 
During  1900,  3500  tons  of  7  percent  ore  were  mined.  After 
heap-roasting,  3000  tons  of  the  ore  were  smelted  to  a  50  per 
cent  matte  in  a  campaign  of  forty  days.  Five  hundred  tons 
of  the  newly  mined  ore  remained  as  fines,  and  went  to  join  the 
old  dumps  for  leaching.  The  matte  produced  was  shipped  to 
Liverpool,  paying  $20  per  ton  railroad  charges  to  New  York 
en  route.  Since  then,  custom  reduction  plants,  which  include 
converters,  have  been  established  in  California,  affording  a 
distinct  improvement  in  the  conditions  encountered  by  any 
copper  property  equipped  with  a  small  furnace  in  which  ores 
can  be  concentrated  to  matte.  Since  this  campaign,  the  smelter 
has  remained  idle,  through   circumstances   not  involving  its 


AMADok  cor.NTv — C(H'I'i:k  minks  and  claims.         185 

efticieucy.  Duriii^^  ihe  recent  niiiiing  operations  noted,  a  drift 
on  the  4oo-f0()t  level  was  extended  north  150  feet,  passing  out 
of  the  old  ore  shoot,  400  feet  long,  and  reaching  a  short  distance 
into  another  one  that  awaits  exploration. 

Throughout  1901,  leaching  operations  were  actively  con- 
ducted, and  about  40  tons  of  copper  cement  were  produced 
from  the  old  dumps,  and  the  fines  from  recent  roasting.  The 
dumps  contain  about  10,000  tons  of  ore  roasted  in  past  years 
and  repeatedly  leached,  some  of  it  twenty  times.  The  sluices, 
carrying  scrap  iron,  through  which  the  water  percolating 
through  the  dumps  is  carried,  aggregate  750  feet.  The  pre- 
cipitated cement  produced  carried  75  to  .So  per  cent  of  copper. 
During  the  year,  the  cost  of  production,  including  labor,  scrap 
iron,  and  water,  and  excluding  the  original  costs  of  mining 
and  roasting,  was  less  than  3  cents  per  pound  of  copper. 
While  the  price  of  copper  was  maintained,  this  cement  brought 
in  San  Francisco  1 2  cents  per  pound  for  its  copper  contents. 
Sacking  and  transportation  to  New  York  via  vSan  Francisco 
cost  about  one  cent  per  pound  of  copper  contents.  The  total 
output  of  the  mine  to  date  is  reported  as  33,000  tons  of  ore, 
two  thirds  of  which  has  been  worked  on  the  ground.  Two 
20- foot  winzes  and  the  shaft  sump  show  that  the  400- foot  ore 
body  mined  maintains  its  width  and  values  below  the  400-foot 
level.  These  openings  and  the  150-foot  extension  of  the  400- 
foot  level  constitute  the  only  exploration  in  advance  of  mining 
operations. 

Moon  Mine. — Owned  by  the  Moon  Gold  Mining  Company 
of  Valley  Springs,  of  which  J.  B.  Lucas  is  vice-president  and 
superintendent.  Situated  in  Sees.  3,  9,  and  10,  T.  5  N.,  R.  10  E., 
about  two  and  a  lialf  miles  east  of  Richey,  and  southerly 
from  the  Newton  mine.  There  are  two  shafts,  one  of  which, 
equipped  with  a  horse-whim,  is  100  feet  deep.  The  other  is 
140  feet  deep.  The  mineralized  zone  is  over  1000  feet  wide. 
Formation,  diabase  schist  down  to  talcose  schist;  course  of 
vein,  northwest  and  southeast.  The  vein  stufif  is  a  mineral- 
ization of  the  schist.  No  large  deposits  of  pyrite  or  chalco- 
pyrite  are  yet  reached.  Gossan  croppings  are  from  iS  inches  to 
8  feet  in  width.  Grano-diorite  runs  to  the  east  of  all  prospects 
in  this  neighborhood.  The  vein  matter  also  resembles  closely 
that  of  the  mines  in  Mariposa  County.  Development  in 
progress. 


186  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

There  are  several  abandoned  shafts  in  this  vicinity,  on  the 
dumps  of  which  the  same  kind  of  vein  stufif  and  ore  can  still 
be  observed.  To  the  west  of  the  Moon  looo  feet  is  another 
old  shaft,  140  feet  deep,  showing  the  same  sort  of  formation  as 
does  the  Moon. 

Thayer  Mine. — In  Sec.  23,  T.  5  X.,  R.  10  E.,  a  little  north 
of  the  Calaveras  River,  on  a  continuation  of  the  Satellite  vein. 
It  is  opened  by  cuts  and  a  main  shaft,  which  in  July  last  was 
240  feet  deep.  This  shaft  is  equipped  with  a  horse-whim. 
The  ore  is  sulphide  below  and  carbonate  above. 

lone  City  Mine. — This  property,  opened  in  the  sixties,  is  in 
Sees.  3  and  4,  T.  5  N.,  Jl.  10  E.  Ore  sulphide  and  vein  matter 
amphibolite  schist,  with  no  iron  capping.  Not  worked  since 
1864.     Owner,  J.  Boone. 

Chaparral  Mine. — In  Sec.  10,  T.  5  N.,  R.  10  E.;  has  a  shaft 
120  feet  deep,  which  was  opened  in  1864.  Now  idle.  The 
ore  is  sulphide  and  decomposed  ironstone.  Vein  formation, 
.schistose  diabase  and  amphibolite  schist. 

Russel  Mine. — This  is  on  the  Russel  ranch.  Sec.  10,  T.  5  N., 
R.  10  E.  The  shaft  is  200  feet  deep.  There  is  a  large  dump, 
80  by  20  feet,  of  highly  mineralized  rock.  The  vein  formation 
is  schistose  diabase.     Owner,  H.  Russel. 

Bull  Run  Mine.— On  Wharf's  ranch,  in  Sec.  15,  T.  5  N., 
R.  10  E.  Shaft  400  feet  deep.  Large  dump  of  sulphide  ore. 
Formation  of  vein,  schistose  diabase.  Ore  was  shipped  in  the 
sixties  from  this  property.  It  was  the  reported  intention  to 
work  this  and  the  Russel  mine  under  the  direction  of  the 
Buena  Vista  Copper  Mining  Company. 

Copper  Hill  Mine. — On  Copper  Hill,  one  and  a  half  miles 
north  of  Forest  Home,  in  Sees.  34  and  35,  T.  8  N.,  R.  9  E.  It 
has  been  opened  by  several  shafts,  one  of  which  is  said  to  be 
about  400  feet  deep.  There  is  one  over  200  feet  deep,  and 
also  several  shallower  ones.  At  present,  the  1000  acres  of 
patented  ground,  on  which  are  the  old  mines,  belong  to 
W.  F.  Detert,  of  Jackson.  The  first  work  done  was  in 
1860-61.  The  mines  w^ere  in  operation  over  twenty  years. 
Large  quantities  of  ore  and  matte  were  shipped  to  Europe. 
Large  slag  dumps  now  on  the  property  prove  that  considerable 
ore   must   have   been   extracted    from    the   mine.     The   vein. 


CAI.AVKKAS    COINTY.  187 

coursing  west  of  north,  crosses  the  Cosumues  River  into 
li\  Dorado  County  at  this  point.  The  river  bounds  the  prop- 
ertv  on  the  nortli.  There  are  heavy  gossan  croppings  on  the 
vein.  The  vein  formation,  tiuartz  porphyry,  is  500  to  600  feet 
wide,  and  carries  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite.     Idle. 

Mineral  City  Mine.— In  T.  8  X.,  R.  9  E..  owned  by  T.  H. 
Allen.  Jr.  Shows  indications  of  copper.  The  property  is  a 
half  mile  northwest  of  Forest  Home,  and  comprises  160  acres  of 
patented  ground.     Inclosing  rock  the  same  as  old  Copper  Hill. 

Forest  Home  Mining  Co. — Property  is  a  half  mile  north 
of  Forest  Home.  W.  H.  Bradley,  of  Redlands,  Cal.,  represen- 
tative. There  are  four  shafts,  each  about  80  feet  deep.  All 
the  shafts  show  indications  of  copper  ore.     Idle. 

Mutual  Life  Insurance  Co. — This  corporation  owns  2700 
acres  of  land  one  mile  north  of  Forest  Home,  on  which  there 
are  five  shafts  of  unknown  depths,  whose  dump  piles  all  show 
copper  ore.     Idle. 

W.  H.  Whittle. — Owns  2000  acres,  one  mile  southeast  of 
Forest  Home,  on  which  there  is  one  shaft  100  feet  deep,  with 
50-foot  drifts  each  way  from  bottom,  showing  indications  of 
copper  ore.     Idle. 

An  old  copper  mine  located  at  Dry  Creek,  where  the  road 
crosses  from  Irish  Hill  to  lone,  was  closed  many  years  ago. 
It  is  reported  that  matte  was  shipped  from  this  claim  thirty 
years  ago 


CAL.Wl-R.VS  CorXTY. 


In  Calaveras  County  the  foothill  copper  belt  has  displayed 
its  most  extensively  developed  mines,  and  from  this  county  has 
come  the  l)ulk  of  the  total  copper  product  of  the  belt.  Until 
the  opening  of  the  Shasta  County  mines  in  ([uite  recent  years 
this  county  was  the  preeminent  copj^er  county  of  the  vState, 
though  its  actual  current  production  was  generally  small. 

Calaveras  County  is  the  central  one  of  the  Mother  Lode 
counties,  and  it  is  also  centrally  located  relative  to  the  entire 
auriferous  slate  belt  of  the  vSierra  Nevada  slope.     It  is  trian- 


188  THK   COPPER    REvSOURCKS   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

gular  in  shape,  the  apex  resting  on  the  crest  of  the  Sierras,  the 
base  expanding  along  the  edge  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  and 
the  Mokelurane  and  Stanislaus  rivers  respectively  separating 
it  from  Amador  County  on  the  north  and  Tuolumne  County 
on  the  south.  One  feature  of  its  forest  region  is  the  noted 
Calaveras  grove  of  "big  trees"  {Sequoia gigantea). 

All  physical  conditions  are  favorable  to  mining.  The  county 
is  richly  mineralized  throughout,  presenting  several  mineral 
belts  and  districts.  The  Mother  Lode  crosses  the  county  along 
a  30-mile  course,  and  in  this  county  displays  the  characteristics 
of  vast  bodies  of  low  and  medium  grade  ore,  presenting  mining 
propositions  of  the  sort  now  especially  attractive  to  conserva- 
tive mining  capital.  -On  this  lode,  at  the  northern  side  of  the 
county,  is  the  noted  Gwin  quartz  mine;  by  the  southern 
boundary  is  the  Melones,  one  of  the  largest  mining  properties 
in  the  State;  and  between  them  is  the  Utica  group,  one  of  the 
ranking  gold  mines  of  the  country.  Other  important  mines 
are  ranged  along  the  lode.  The  East  Belt,  farther  up  the  slope, 
includes  the  noted  Sheep  Ranch  mine.  Other  belts  and  dis- 
tricts reinforce  the  great  and  comparatively  slightly  developed 
gold  resources  of  the  county,  which  are  now  attracting  marked 
attention.  The  auriferous  gravel  deposits  of  ancient  river 
channels  aggregate  50  miles  in  length.  The  gold  product  in 
1900  was  $1,650,000,  and  the  total  mineral  output  $i,905.'^56. 
Quartz  cr>'stals  of  rare  size  and  quality  are  mined  near 
Mokelumne  Hill.  Various  minerals  characteristic  of  the  slope 
abound  and  await  utilization.  The  foothill  region,  in  which 
the  copper  deposits  occur,  also  presents  some  valuable  gold 
quartz  veins.  The  Royal  Consolidated,  at  Hodson,  is  one  of 
the  important  gold  mines  of  the  State. 

The  copper  belt,  which  crosses  the  eastern  side  of  the  county 
through  the  foothills  in  a  northwesterly  and  southeasterly 
direction,  separated  from  the  Mother  Lode  belt  by  the  Bear 
Mountain  range,  here  displays  two  important  lodes.  The  main 
one  crosses  the  county  and  appears  to  present  a  fairly  con- 
tinuous system  of  veins,  which  display  considerable  variations 
of  contents,  inclosing  formations,  etc.  At  Campo  Seco,  on  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  county,  is  a  group  of  patented  claims, 
quite  extensively  developed,  and  now  being  operated,  which 
display  strong  veins  and  ores  carrying  some  gold  and  silver. 
Well  toward  the  south  side  of  the  county  are  the  mines  at 


CAI.AVKRAS    COINTV — COl'l'l-K    CLAIMS. 


189 


Copperojiolis.  ihe  most  ini]>()rlant  of  the  entire  l)elt  in  the  past, 
and  here  gold  is  absent  from  the  ores.  The  jiractical  continuity 
of  this  lode  is  shown  by  crojipings  and  a  great  number  of 
shallow  shafts  sunk  all  along  the  lode  at  various  times.  A  few 
miles  westward  of  this  lode  is  another  one  which  is  traced  for 
a  number  of  miles  and  in  which  is  the  Napoleon,  the  pioneer 
developed  copper  mine  of  the  vState.  Heavy  gossan  cappings 
characterize  both  lodes.  In  early  days  several  mines  on  these 
lodes  other  than  those  of  present  interest  here  described  were 
opened  to  considerable  depths  and  shipped  more  or  less  ore, 
but  they  are  now  forgotteii.  vSomc  may  again  be  prospected 
at  a  future  time. 

Union  Mine.— By  far  the  most  important  copper  mining 
property  developed  in  California  prior  to  1S96  is  the  extensive 
one  known  since  the  beginning  of  copper  mining  in  California 
as  the  Union.  For  a  great  many  years  it  has  included  the 
Keystone,  which  was,  during  the  same  period,  the  copper  mine 
of  .second  rank  in  the  State.  These  two  patented  mines  con- 
stitute the  historical  and  widely  known  "  Copperopolis  Mines." 
Thev  are  in  the  town  of  Copperopolis,  which  they  created  in  a 
little  valley  in  the  southwestern  portion  of  Calaveras  County, 
and  in  vSec.  34,  T.  2  X.,  R.  12  K.,  on  the  main  lode  of  the  foot- 
hill copper  belt,  which  here  strikes  30  degrees  east  of  south 
and  dips  about  60  degrees  east.     The  elevation  is  1000  feet. 

The  Union  was  the  first  copper  mine  of  the  State  to  be 
productively  developed  on  an  important  scale.  Large  bodies 
of  rich  ore  were  encountered  near  the  surface  and  persisted 
downward,  and  for  several  years  succeeding  January,  1861, 
this  mine  produced  the  bulk  of  the  California  copper  ores  mined 
and  shipped.  In  1866,  a  year  or  two  liefore  the  Union  first 
closed,  it  was  credited  with  having  shipped  56,500  tons  of  ore 
assaving  15  per  cent  or  more,  and  a  much  greater  quantity  of 
ore  of  lower  grade  had  been  mined.  The  second  largest  pro- 
ducer at  that  time,  the  Key.stone,  was  credited  with  5719  tons 
shipped.  The  story  of  the  Keystone  during  this  period  runs 
on  similar  lines,  but  this  mine  did  not  approach  the  success  of 
the  Union,  which  paid  large  dividends  and  was  once  held  at  a 
valuation  of  about  $4,000,000.  Both  mines  were  then  opened 
to  about  the  present  depth,  and  operations  ceased  with  good  ore 
bodies  displayed  by   the  lowest   workings.     At   500  feet  the 


1V10  THK    COPl'KK    RKSOl'RCKS    OK    CALIFORNIA. 

Union  shaft  was  in   an  ore  IkkIv  15  feet  wide  and  of  medium 
grade. 

The  Union  remained  closed  from  1S6S  to  1887,  nineteen 
3'ears.  In  the  latter  year  it  was  unwatered  under  the  manage- 
ment of  H.  D.  Ranlett.  The  main  shaft  was  sunk  to  600  feet, 
and  mining  was  resumed  for  about  a  year  and  a  half,  during 
which  time  5000  or  6000  tons  of  ore  were  shipped.  In  1889  a 
100-ton  Orford  smelting  furnace  was  installed,  without  very 
successful  results.  Operations  again  ceased  in  1892.  Leach- 
ing the  dumps  has  been  carried  on  during  many  years  and  a 
large  amount  of  cement  copper  has  been  produced.  The  mine 
was  again  unwatered  last  year. 

The  formation  in  which  the.se  mines  occur  is  black  pyritous 
slate  and  amphibolite  schists,  and  can  be  traced  through  Cala- 
veras County  north  into  Amador  County  and  south  into  Tuol- 
umne County.  The  lode  in  which  are  the  Napoleon  and 
Campo  Seco  mines  is  to  the  westward,  the  distance  being  about 
six  miles  from  Copperopolis,  while  the  Campo  vSeco  mines  at 
the  northern  boundary  of  the  county  are  about  three  miles 
west  of  the  Copperopolis  lode,  as  the  latter  is  termed  in  this 
countv.  At  the  Union  mine,  and  for  a  considerable  distance 
north  and  south,  this  lode  presents  a  single  vein  of  black 
pyritous  slate  in  a  belt  of  amphibolite  schist,  this  formation 
exhibiting  no  material  variations.  The  United  States  Geo- 
logical Survey  has  shown  both  vein  aiid  inclosing  formation  to 
be  identical  in  age  and  character  with  the  slaty  \eins  and 
amphibolite  schists  (greenstones)  of  the  parallel  Mother  Lode 
about  twelve  miles  to  the  east.  At  Copperopolis  the  vein  is 
from  3  to  40  feet  wide,  and  occupies  the  trough  of  a  small 
valley  which  here  averages  a  half  mile  in  width,  the  valley 
itself  being  the  result  of  the  erosion  of  the  soft  slate  and  of  the 
softer  greenstones  directly  bounding  it.  Being  covered  by 
detritus  and  vegetation  the  vein  exhibits  no  croppings  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Copperopolis,  and  copper  stains  were  the 
only  indications  which  guided  the  prospecting  that  led  to  the 
discovery  of  the  rich  ore  bodies  below. 

The  Union  and  Keystone  patentedclaimscompri.se  5254  feet 
of  the  lode.  The  property  of  the  Union  Copper  Mining  Com- 
pany, which  is  controlled  by  the  estate  of  Frederick  L.  Ames 
of  Boston,  also  includes  the  Empire,  the  undeveloped  south 
extension  of  the  X^nion,  and  800  acres  of  patented  agricultural 


CAI.AVHRAS    COINTV — CorPKR    CLAIMS. 


191 


laiul  north  ami  south  of  tlie  mines,  j;i\in>;  the  company  posses- 
sion of  o\er  three  miles  of  the  lode.  Production  has  been  con- 
lined  to  the  Union  claim  and  the  south  end  of  the  Keystone 
claim,  and  underground  exploration  pratically  .so.  The  vein, 
which  in  these  claims  exhibits  a  maximum  width  of  about  40 
feet  and  an  average  width  of  about  15  feet,  carries  a  succession 
of  ore  bodies  which  are  lenticular  raa.sses  of  sulphide  copper  ore 
(chalcopyrite)  connected  by  stringers  of  ore.  The  water  level 
is  here  \erv  close  to  the  surface,  and  the  alteration  of  the  sul- 


4i 


'..-^ 


Jftk^- 


INION  COi'I'KK  mini;,  CoPPKROPOt.IS.  C.M.AVKKAS  Col.X  IV 


phides  has  extended  to  a  depth  of  about  30  feet  only.  Within 
this  zone  of  oxidation  the  ore  bodies  below  the  surface  gossan 
present  a  little  natixe  copper,  and  carbonates  and  oxides  that 
are  frequently  very  rich.  There  is  no  /.one  of  secondary 
enrichment,  and  below  the  depth  of  30  feet  the  unaltered  sul- 
phides extend  downward  practically  unchanged  in  character 
and  average  copper  content  to  the  greatest  depths  yet  reached. 
But  three  ore  bodies  have  yet  been  opened  and  worked. 
Two  of  these  outcrop  in  the  Union  and  one  near  the  south  end 
of  the  Keystone.     These  ore  shoots  dip  eastward  with  the  vein 


192  THK   COPPER    RESOrKCES   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

and  also  longitudinally  to  the  north.  The  largest  one  is  the 
southernmost  one,  in  the  Union  claim,  and  is  about  300  feet 
long,  from  2  to  40  feet  wide,  and  has  been  followed  to  a  depth 
of  600  feet,  where  it  reaches  the  northern  vertical  boundary  of 
the  Union  claim.  One  stope  in  this  body,  from  which  ore  was 
extracted  in  the  decade  of  the  sixties,  was  about  40  feet  wide, 
80  feet  high,  and  100  feet  long.  The  next  shoot  to  the  north 
in  the  Union  claim  is  200  feet  long,  is  of  less  average  width, 
and  reaches  well  into  the  Keystone  property,  where  it  has  been 
worked  to  the  same  depth  as  the  larger  ore  body.  The 
developed  Keystone  ore  bod\-  is  100  feet  long,  from  i  to  15  feet 
wide,  and  is  exactly  similar  to  the  others  in  character.  It  has 
been  worked  to  a  depth  of  250  feet.  The  underground  open- 
ings of  the  Union  and  Keystone  claims,  consisting  of  several 
thousand  feet  of  drifts,  shafts,  and  stopes,  are  connected.  Nine 
levels  have  been  run  in  the  mine  and  six  shafts  have  been 
sunk  to  var^'ing  depths  on  both  properties,  l)ut  one  of  which  is 
now  equipped  for  hoisting  and  pumping. 

Accurate  maps  and  records  of  the  workings  and  i^roduct 
have  been  kept,  and  since  the  recent  unwatering  of  the  mine 
and  the  resumption  of  prospecting  therein,  the  mine  has  been 
carefullv  experted  and  existing  ore  re.ser\'es  blocked  out.  It  is 
stated  that  the  estimates  arrived  at  are  that  the  three  ore 
bodies  described,  when  worked  b}'  modern  methods,  will  yield 
several  hundred  thousand  tons  of  pay  ore  above  the  depth  of 
900  feet.  This  estimate  assumes  that  the  ore  shoots  will  dis- 
play the  same  persistence  of  average  size,  character,  and  value 
to  that  depth  that  they  have  shown  from  the  surface  to  the 
lowest  levels.  The  question  of  the  permanence  of  values  at 
depth  in  this  foothill  mineral  belt  is,  in  a  way,  ([uite  as  inter- 
esting and  important  as  the  same  question  in  regard  to  the 
parallel  Mother  Lode.  Within  recent  years  this  question  has 
been  affirmatively  decided  along  the  Mother  Lode,  especially 
in  the  neighboring  county  of  Amador,  and  at  the  Gwin  mine, 
in  Calaveras  County,  where  extensive  and  valuable  ore  bodies 
are  being  mined  at  a  present  depth  of  about  2000  feet.  This 
problem  gives  significance  to  the  persistent  characteristics  of 
the  ore  shoots  at  Copperopolis  and  to  the  geological  identity 
of  the  veins  and  inclosing  formations  of  both  lodes. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  Union  and  Keystone  claims,  and 
outside  of  them  along  the  lode  through  this  company's  prop- 


CALAVERAS  COLNTV — COPPKK  CLAIMS.         193 

erty,  superficial  prospecting  has  revealed  the  buried  outcrops 
of  a  tumiber  of  other  ore  bodies,  all  of  which  are  remarkable 
in  their  similarity  to  the  three  developed  ore  bodies  at  the 
surface.  The  prospecting  and  developing  of  such  new  ore 
bodies  await  the  future. 

The  Union  ore  bodies  are,  as  indicated,  practically  solid 
masses  of  sulphides,  carry  no  gold  or  silver,  and  are  excep- 
tionally free  from  baser  metallic  elements.  The.se  ores  thus 
difTer  from  those  of  the  Napoleon-Campo  Seco  lode  to  the  west, 
which  carry  gold,  silver,  and  baser  elements.  It  is  stated  that 
the  copper  product  of  this  mine  has  generally  been  used  for 
the  manufacture  of  copper  wire  without  electrolytic  refining. 

Since  the  mine  was  unwatered  last  year  prospecting  at  depth 
has  been  actively  carried  on,  mainly  on  the  600-foot  level. 
The  product  has  been  two  grades  of  ore — one  a  smelting  ore 
averaging  1 1  per  cent  of  copper,  and  the  other  a  leaching  ore 
averaging  5  to  51^  per  cent.  The  mining  operations  have 
yielded  about  two  tons  of  the  latter  to  one  of  the  former,  but 
the  low-grade  leaching  ore  has  been  largely  taken  from  the 
radiating  stringers.  Since  the  re-opening  of  the  mine  the 
operations  have  been  conducted  by  General  Manager  G.  McM. 
Ross,  and  a  definite  working  plan  of  future  operations  is  now 
being  considered.  On  the  dump  are  now  30,000  tons  of  3  per 
cent  ore  which  it  is  intended  to  concentrate,  and  40,000  tons  of 
partially  leached  ore  averaging  2>4  per  cent  in  copper. 

The  surface  plants,  erected  years  ago,  are  extensive  and 
include  a  large  leaching  plant,  necessary  buildings,  hoist, 
pumping  plant,  etc.  The  mine  yields  a  maximum  of  80,000 
gallons  of  water  per  twenty-four  hours.  Steam  power  is  used, 
wood  costing  from  $3.50  to  $4  per  cord.  Water  is  pumped 
from  a  creek  half  a  mile  distant.  Timbers  and  lumber  are 
supplied  from  Stockton  and  the  mountains  to  the  east. 
Underground  labor  costs  from  $2.25  to  $3  per  day,  and  surface 
labor  $2.  The  Union  Electric  Light  and  Power  Company, 
which  is  under  the  same  control  as  the  mine,  owns  1200  acres 
of  land,  largely  gold  placer  ground,  on  the  Stanislaus  River  at 
the  southern  boundary  of  the  county,  and  there  are  several 
miles  of  water  ditch.  This  property  was  secured  to  provide  a 
supply  of  water  and  power  for  the  mine  and  town. 

It  may  be   assumed  that  the    Union    property   will    again 
become  a  producer  sooner  or  later.     Copperopolis,  which  was 
13— BuL.  23 


194  THK   COPPER    RKSOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

a  thriving  and  important  town  during  the  early  mining  activity 
there,  is  fourteen  miles  from  Milton,  the  terminus  of  a  branch 
railroad,  and  about  forty  miles  from  tide  water  at  vStockton. 

Penn  Chemical  Works. — Second  in  importance  only  to 
the  Copperopolis  mines  among  the  copper-producing  properties 
of  the  foothill  belt  in  the  past  has  been  the  group  at  Campo 
Seco,  essentially  composed  of  the  Heckla,  Campo  Seco,  and 
Satellite  mines,  which  were  operated  as  separate  mines  in 
former  years  and  which  now,  with  the  Little  Satellite,  com- 
prise one  property  under  the  name  given  abo\e.  The  first 
three  mentioned  were  producing  mines  in  the  early  sixties  and 
were  important  ones  'in  those  days.  Thej'  are  close  to  the 
town  of  Campo  Seco,  by  Mokelumne  River,  about  twenty  miles 
northwest  of  Copperopolis,  and  on  the  western  lode  of  Cala- 
veras Count}'.  Valley  Springs,  the  terminus  of  a  narrow- 
gauge  railroad,  is  four  and  a  half  miles  distant.  In  early  days 
many  thousand  tons  of  ore  were  mined.  The  richest  was 
shipped  in  considerable  quantity  and  large  amounts  of  medium 
and  low  grade  ores  on  three  dumps  have  been  leached  inter- 
mittently to  the  present  day.  Some  matte  was  produced  from 
small  furnaces  before  the  plant  now  operating  was  installed. 
The  veins  here  course  and  dip  as  at  Copperopolis.  The  vein 
matter  varies  in  character,  the  gangue  being  variously  com- 
posed of  talcose  schist,  clay,  quartz,  etc.  The  ores  are 
sulphides,  associated  with  iron  pyrites,  and  carrying  small 
percentages  of  gold  and  silver,  with  occasional  traces  of  zinc. 
This  group  of  claims  has  been  opened  by  five  shafts  and  some 
tunnels,  two  of  the  shafts  now  being  operative.  The  deepest 
development  has  occurred  in  the  Heckla  and  Satellite,  which 
at  an  early  period  were  opened  to  depths  of  about  500  feet. 
The  Campo  Seco  shaft  reached  250  feet  and  its  lowest  level 
was  at  200  feet.  One  ore  body  in  the  Heckla  mine  was  150 
feet  long,  and  the  group  as  a  whole  has  yielded  quite  largely. 
The  Satellite  has  undergone  the  most  extensive  development. 
The  shaft  is  550  feet  deep  and  four  levels  have  been  opened, 
from  which  ore  is  now  being  mined.  This  mine  was  well 
known  as  the  Lancha  Plana  before  1883,  when  it  was 
re-opened  by  H.  D.  Ranlett  after  long  idleness.  A  tunnel  was 
run  to  the  old  shaft,  about  1000  tons  of  ore  shipped,  and  leach- 
ing continued  for  about  three  years.  It  was  then  sold  to  the 
San  Francisco  Copper  Company,  and  later  merged  with  the 


I'KN.N  c<in'i;i<  mimm;  ldmi'axv  s  mini-,  at  cami-d  skc(j. 


SMKLTlNf,  WORKS  OF  TMK  I'HNN   MINlNd  COMPANY,  AT  CAMl'O  SKCO. 

(195) 


196 


THK   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Penn  Chemical  Works  property.  Mining  and  prospecting  are 
actively  proceeding.  The  present  smelting  plant  includes  one 
I  co-ton  water-jacket  furnace.  The  pyritic  method  of  smelting 
is  pursued.  The  material  is  run  through  the  furnace  three 
times,  producing  matte  respectively  of  20,  40,  and  60  per  cent. 
Recently  about  150  tons  of  60  per  cent  matte  have  been 
shipped  monthly.  Another  feature  of  the  plant  is  a  small 
furnace  used  to  agglomerate  and  partially  desulphurize  the 
fines.     There  are  now  85  men  employed.     Besides  the  smelting 


NAPOLEON  COPPER  MINE,  CALAVERAS  COUNTY. 

operations,  the  old  low-grade  ore-dumps  are  being  leached  and 
cement  copper  is  being  produced.  A.  C.  Harmon,  Campo 
Seco,  is  general  manager. 

Adjoining  the  Satellite  and  parallel  with  it  is  the  Meteor, 
and  the  Constitution  is  an  extension  of  both  the  former 
claims.     C.  Borger,  Campo  Seco,  owns  both  claims. 

Napoleon  Mine. — This,  the  oldest  copper  mine  in  the  State, 
lies  to  the  south  and  west  of  Copperopolis  about  nine  miles, 
and  is  in  Sec.  23,  T.  i  N.,  R.  1 1  E.     It  is  thirteen  and  a  half  miles 


CALAVERAS  COUNTY — COPPER  CLAIMS.         197 

from  Milton.  The  owner  is  Josephine  H.  Sullivan,  who  has 
bonded  the  property  to  Messrs.  Lewis  and  Ben  Williams.  They 
are  now  sinking  shafts,  running  drifts,  and  otherwise  prospect- 
ing the  ground.  The  vein  channel  is  loo  feet  wide,  and  con- 
sists of  diabase  and  meta-diabase  down  to  talcose  schist.  The 
ore  bodies  occur  in  lens-shaped  masses  from  stringers  to  20 
feet  in  width.  The  shaft  is  86  feet  in  vertical  depth  and  then 
inclines  62  degrees  for  239  feet,  giving  a  total  depth  of  325 
feet.  The  ores  are  principally  sulphides,  although  carbonates 
and  oxides  are  plentiful.  The  mine,  which  was  first  opened  in 
the  sixties,  was  filled  with  water  from  1866  to  1900,  when  the 
Williams  Brothers  commenced  operations.  A  new  west  shaft 
is  now  being  sunk  to  connect  with  old  workings  on  the  250- 
foot  level.  It  is  now  down  185  feet.  Cement  copper  is 
produced  from  leaching  the  old  dumps,  and  some  satisfactory 
shipments  of  ore  have  been  made. 

Star  and  Excelsior. — In  Sec.  24,  T.  i  N.,  R.  11  E.,  near 
the  Napoleon;  opened  by  cuts,  shafts,  and  tunnels,  showing 
an  ore  channel  from  75  to  100  feet  in  width.  The  ores  are 
sulphide  and  carbonates.  The  mines  are  now  idle.  The 
owners  are  Messrs.  Weihe  et  al.,  of  San  Francisco. 

Collier  Mine. — In  Sec.  24,  T.  i  N.,  R.  1 1  E.,  near  the 
Napoleon;  owner,  Henrietta  Botcher,  of  Stockton.  There  is 
an  old  caved  shaft  on  the  property.  The  vein  is  reported  to 
have  been  rich  in  copper,  which  was  shipped  in  the  sixties. 
Idle. 

Eagle  Mine.— In  Sec.  3,  T.  i  N.,  R.  11  E.,  on  Quail  Hill; 
owner,  J.  M.  McDonald,  of  San  Francisco.  Contains  sulphide 
and  carbonate  copper  ores.     Idle. 

Near  Milton  are  some  prospects  showing  copper,  but  they 
are  not  developed  enough  to  demand  specific  mention. 

Josephine  Mine.— In  Sec.  8,  T.  i  N.,  R.  13  E.;  known  also 
as  the  Old  Mountain  Top  mine.  It  has  a  shaft  40  feet  deep, 
sunk  in  1864.  The  vein  is  4  to  5  feet  wide.  A  little  ore 
remains  on  the  dump  and  in  the  shaft.  Shipments  were  made 
from  this  claim  in  1864. 


198  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Through  the  Pattee  ranch,  adjoining  the  town  of  Valle}- 
Springs  on  the  east,  extends  a  belt  of  copper-bearing  rock 
I  GOO  feet  wide,  with  a  strike  west  of  north.  The  ranch  con- 
tains 784  acres.  On  this  belt  there  are  shafts  and  open  cuts. 
The  deepest  shaft  is  80  feet,  and  shows  copper  ore.  The  vein 
matter  here  is  amphibolite  schist  and  schistose  diabase.  There 
has  been  no  development  since  1864. 

The  De  Martini  ranch,  the  second  ranch  below  the  Pattee 
ranch,  has  recently  been  bonded  to  a  company  which  intends 
to  re-open  the  old  shaft  and  explore  the  property.  Two  creeks 
cut  through  the  belt  on  this  ranch  and  reveal  copper  ore. 

On  the  Missenger  ranch,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  north 
of  Valley  Springs,  is  a  shaft  about  400  feet  deep  in  the  old  '49 
mine.  There  is  also  a  large  dump  of  oxidized  and  sulphide 
ore.  About  two  and  a  half  miles  farther  north,  near  the 
Mokelumne  River,  is  another  shaft  called  the  "Salt  Gulch." 

Jackson  McCarty  Mine. — Known  also  as  the  old  Calaveras 
mine;  about  three  miles  north  of  Copperopolis,  in  Sec.  23, 
T.  I  N.,  R.  12  E.     It  has  a  shaft  250  feet  deep.     Idle. 

Caledonian  Mine. — On  the  road  from  Valley  Springs  to 
Gaslen's  ranch;  has  a  shaft  250  feet  deep,  sunk  in  the  sixties. 
Idle. 

A.  S.  Pool  has  been  opening  a  prospect  in  Sec.  10,  T.  2  N., 
R.  12  E.  The  vein  is  20  feet  wide,  inclosed  between  a  foot 
wall  of  slate  and  a  hanging  wall  of  diorite.  The  vein  matter 
is  meta-diabase.  The  copper  value  as  reported  ranges  from 
2  to  20  per  cent,  and  the  gold  from  $4  to  $7  per  ton.  The  vein 
is  opened  by  one  shaft  35  feet  deep  and  a  deep  cross-cut. 

East  of  the  Mother  Lode  there  are  found  occasionally  quartz 
veins  carrying  copper  in  considerable  quantities,  notabl}'  on 
San  Domingo  Creek,  near  Macaroni  Flat,  where  there  is  an  old 
shaft  and  a  large  dump,  which  show  considerable  copper  ore 
and  some  native  copper. 


ALPINK    COINTV — COl'I'KK    MINES  199 

ALI'IM:  cuuxty.  "^^  ^^ 


Some  of  the  occasional  occurrences  of  copper  along  the 
higher  portion  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  range  are  to  be  noted  in 
Alpine,  a  small  elevated  county  which  straddles  the  crest  of 
the  range  and  lies  east  of  \\\  Dorado,  Amador,  and  Calaveras 
counties,  and  west  of  Mono  County  and  the  State  of  Nevada. 
It  is  remote  from  railroads,  and  its  small  population  devotes 
its  energies  mainly  to  mining,  stock-raising,  and  lumbering. 
Gold-  and  silver-bearing  lodes  are  abundant,  but  the  ores  are 
largely  base  and  the  mining  industry  is  in  a  backward  state. 
Quite  a  number  of  important  mines  have  been  developed  and 
operated,  however.  This  remote  region  has  frequently,  but 
erroneously,  been  given  the  honor  of  pos.sessing  the  first  copper 
deposit  discovered  and  opened  in  the  State.  This  deposit  was 
found  in  Hope  Valley  in  1855  by  ''  Uncle  Billy"  Rogers.  The 
ore  occurred  in  the  form  of  a  "  chimney,"  presented  a  beautiful 
appearance,  was  rich  in  garnets,  and  attracted  considerable 
attention  for  a  brief  time.  Other  deposits  of  better  commercial 
value  were  later  discovered  and  ojiened.     Two  have  been  noted. 

Leviathan  Mine. — Owned  by  D.  Bari,  of  vSilver  Creek, 
California.  The  mine  is  located  ten  miles  east  of  Markleeville. 
The  nearest  point  to  a  railroad  is  Carson  City,  forty  miles 
distant.  There  is  a  400-foot  tunnel  tapping  the  ledge  250  feet 
below  the  outcrop;  200  feet  below  this  tunnel  another  tunnel 
is  in  700  feet.  Both  tunnels  are  connected  by  a  winze.  The 
ore  occurs  in  kidneys  in  ]ior])hyry.  About  300  tons  of  ore 
have  been  shipped  to  a  smelter.     The  property  is  idle  at  present. 

Stella  Mine. — Located  two  and  a  half  miles  southwest  of 
the  Leviathan,  and  is  owned  by  an  English  company.  The 
mine  has  been  operated  for  silver  and  copper.  There  is  a  300- 
foot  shaft  and  hoisting  apparatus.  Water  power  is  available. 
The  mine  is  idle  at  present. 

The  Morning  vStar  mine,  an  old  mine  in  the  Mogul  district 
north  of  Markleeville,  has  recently  been  again  productive.  It 
is  operated  as  a  gold  and  silver  property,  but  the  ore  carries  a 
good  deal  of  copper.  One  lot  of  22  tons  mined  last  year  is 
reported  to  have  yielded  17  per  cent  of  copper,  and  $32  in  gold 
and  49  ounces  of  silver  per  ton. 


^'''^^. 


200  THK   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

TUOLUMNE  COUNTY. 


Another  of  the  great  gold-mining  counties  of  the  slope  crossed 
by  the  foothill  copper  belt  is  Tuolumne,  a  large,  irregularly- 
shaped  county,  which  stretches  its  eastern  and  longest  boundary 
far  along  the  Sierra  crest,  reaches  westward  down  the  slope 
between  torrential  streams,  and  claims  a  small  section  of  the 
foothill  region  with  its  narrow  western  end.  It  is  a  part  of  the 
Wonderland  of  the  general  region  of  the  Yosemite  Valle}^ 
which  lies  to  the  south,  and  includes  about  half  of  the  Yosemite 
National  Park  and  of.  the  Stanislaus  forest  reserve.  Hetch- 
Hetchy  Valley  and  some  of  the  higher  peaks  of  the  range  are 
among  the  varied  features  of  its  scenic  grandeur.  It  has  a 
wealth  of  natural  resources  yet  but  slightly  exploited.  Agri- 
cultvire  and  horticulture  flourish  more  largely  than  in  some 
neighboring  counties,  and  there  is  an  extensive  lumber  industry. 
Splendid  opportunities  for  the  extensive  generation  of  electric 
power  are  presented. 

Mining  is  yet  by  far  the  dominant  industry  of  the  county. 
Its  rich  early  placers  have  been  succeeded  by  an  era  of  quartz 
mining,  which  for  some  time  has  been  showing  marked  pro- 
gress. Few  counties  of  the  State  have  recently  attracted  so 
much  mining  capital  to  their  gold  mining  fields  or  seen  more 
active  development  of  successful  or  promising  quartz  mines. 
The  Mother  Lode  crosses  its  western  part  and  aiiords  some  of 
the  best  and  well-known  mines  of  the  State.  The  East  Belt, 
paralleling  the  Mother  Lode,  shows  its  most  valuable  and  most 
extensively  developed  mines  in  Tuolumne  County.  The  base- 
ore  belt  of  the  high  Sierras  is  wholly  undeveloped  here,  as  in 
other  counties. 

The  county's  mineral  resources  are  widespread  and  various, 
but  gold,  and  a  little  silver  mined  with  it,  yet  constitutes 
practically  the  only  mineral  product.  The  output  in  1900  was 
$1,596,891  in  gold  and  $62,367  in  silver.  Besides  the  great 
continuous  belts  along  which  gold  mining  is  mainly  concen- 
trated, there  are  districts  containing  many  rich  pocket  mines. 
One  of  these  mines  has  yielded  $2,000,000.  The  Sierra  Rail- 
way crosses  the  foothill  and  Mother  Lode  belts  and  terminates 
in  the  lumbering  and  mining  region  of  Carters,  affording  direct 


TUOLUMNE   COUNTY — COPPER    CLAIMS.  201 

communication  with  the  most   populous  and  productive  por- 
tions of  the  county. 

Through  the  western  end  of  the  county  the  copper  belt  pre- 
sents two  branches.  It  enters  the  county  from  the  north  closer 
to  the  Mother  Lode  belt  than  elsewhere,  being  but  two  or  three 
miles  westward.  The  two  divisions  of  the  belt  diverge  some- 
what in  crossing  the  county  southea.sterly,  and  both  are  marked 
at  inter\'als  by  outcrops  of  cupriferous  veins  and  by  old  shafts 
of  shallow  depth,  which  mark  the  many  prospecting  eflforts 
of  former  j^eriods.  A  few  properties  have  shipped  a  little  ore, 
mainly  forty  years  ago,  but  no  mines  of  note  have  yet  been 
developed.  Many  of  the  deposits  carry  gold,  and  in  a  few 
gold  af?ords  the  chief  incentive  to  exploration.  The  western 
branch  of  the  belt  is  the  stronger  one.  From  Copperopolis,  in 
Calaveras  County,  it  enters  Tuolumne  County  at  Byrne's 
Ferry,  and  passes  through  the  Don  Pedro  district  to  the  south- 
east. The  eastern  branch  enters  the  county  just  west  of 
Tuttletown  and  passes  out  at  Moccasin  Creek  at  the  south. 
The  copper  belt  is  clearly  defined,  exhibits  favorable  indica- 
tions, and,  as  do  other  sections  of  the  belt,  presents  strong 
possibilities  for  the  future. 

On  the  Kohl  ranch,  in  Sees.  6  and  7,  T.  i  N.,  R.  14  E.,  west  of 
the  Rawhide  gold  mine,  and  to  the  west  of  the  Serpentine,  the 
east  branch  of  the  copper  belt  is  traced  by  croppings  and  cuts. 
The  vein  matter  here  has  the  appearance  of  a  chloritic  schist. 

On  the  Shell  ranch,  in  Sec.  17.  T.  i  N.,  R.  14  E.,  southwest 
of  the  Rawhide  mine,  on  the  flank  of  Table  Mountain,  a 
copper  deposit  exists.     This  ore  is  rich  in  gold. 

In  the  town  of  Chinese  Camp  is  an  old  shaft  about  100  feet 
deep.  The  dump  shows  good  copper  ore.  This  is  in  Sec.  9, 
T.  I  S.,  R.  14  E. 

On  the  Olson  ranch,  in  Sees.  31  and  32,  T.  2  S.,  R.  14  E.,  is 
the  old  Golden  City  mine,  which  shows  copper  ore.  The 
mine,  however,  has  been  worked  chiefly  for  its  gold. 

On  the  Mackay  ranch,  in  Sec.  28,  T.  i  X..  R.  14  E.,  is  a 
shaft  in  croppings  showing  copper  ore,  mainly  carbonate.  Not 
much  development  work  has  been  done. 

On  Moccasin  Creek,  in  Sees.  19,  20,  28,  and  29,  T.  i  vS., 
R.  15  E.,  are  copper  croppings  and  a  shaft  22  feet  deep,  show- 


202  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

ing  chalcopyrite.  From  the  Tuolumne  River  going  south  in 
this  range  a  deposit  of  copper  with  heavy  ironstone  cap  can  be 
traced  by  croppings  for  over  a  mile. 

Along  the  west  lode  the  following  properties  are  noted: 

Washington  Mine. — In  Sees.  30,  31,  and  32,  T.  2  S., 
R.  15  E.  The  owners  are  \V.  E.  Hensle)-  and  G.  A.  Hensley. 
There  formerly  was  a  town  of  over  400  people  sustained  by  the 
mine.  The  town  was  destroyed  by  fire,  the  price  of  copper 
depreciated,  the  place  was  deserted,  and  has  ever  since 
remained  so.  The  ores  are  of  a  ver}-  good  grade,  sulphides 
predominating.  The  vein  formation  is  diabase  and  meta- 
diabase.     A  cross-cut  is  now  in  16  feet  of  ore. 

On  Donahue's  ranch,  in  Sec.  23,  T.  2  S.,  R.  14  E.,  there  is  an 
old  tunnel  said  to  be  1000  feet  long,  with  good  copper  ore  on 
the  dump.  The  former  superintendent,  Mr.  Z.  Brown,  shipped 
some  high-grade  copper  ore. 

In  the  Don  Pedro  district  the  copper  belt  is  clearly  traced  in 
its  ccurse  northwesterly.  Prospect  holes  are  found  in  Sec.  9, 
T.  3  S.,  R.  15  E. 

On  the  Blanchard  place  is  a  shaft  60  feet  deep,  in  which  is 
exposed  good  chalcopyrites.  At  Montezuma  is  the  Ohio 
House  mine,  showing  good  copper  ore  On  the  W.  N.  Adams 
place,  in  Sec.  16,  T.  3  S.,  R.  15  E.,  are  shafts  and  open  cuts, 
showing  copper  ores,  which  were  opened  in  the  sixties. 

Oak  Hill  Copper  Mine. — Located  west  of  the  course  of 
the  west  belt,  near  the  river  and  Cooperstown,  in  Sec.  23, 
T.  2  S.,  R.  15  E.  Owners,  Henry  Willey,  A.  H.  Fitch,  et  al.; 
postoffice  address,  Cooperstown.  The  vein  is  of  unknown 
width.  Development,  one  shaft  112  feet  deep,  with  drift  73 
feet  south.  There  is  also  an  old  shaft  on  the  claim.  There  is 
a  good  wagon  road  to  Cooperstown,  a  station  on  the  Sierra 
Railway.  When  visited,  three  men  were  employed  and  ore 
was  being  shipped. 

East  of  the  Mother  Lode,  in  Sees.  20  and  21,  T.  2  N.,  R.  17  E., 
copper  ore  in  quartz  occurs  in  considerable  quantities.  This 
deposit  is  similar  to  one  described  as  the  Robert  mine  in 
El  Dorado  County.  Little  development  work  has  been  per- 
formed.    The  ore  is  regarded  mostly  for  its  gold  value. 


MARIPOSA    cor  NT  Y.  203 

MARII^)>.\  CorXTY. 


Ill  Mariposa  County  the  copi>er  belt  presents  some  of  the 
extensive  ore  bodies  develoj^d  along  the  belt  outside  of  the 
few  larger  producing  mines  to  the  north,  and  the  deposits  here 
are  most  noteworthy,  on  account  of  the  large  percentage  of 
gold  frequently  carried  by  the  ores.  Some  of  these  o're  bodies 
attracted  attention  during  the  earliest  years  of  the  industry, 
and  here  were  some  of  the  earliest  mining  operations  and 
attempts  at  copper  smelting.  Thousands  of  tons  of  ore  have 
been  mined  and  shii)ped.  with  or  without  concentration,  and 
in  the  sixties  the  industry  supported  a  considerable  population. 
During  the  recent  copper  activity  several  promising  properties, 
old  and  new,  have  been  opened  and  actively  developed.  The 
extent  of  some  of  these  deposits  and  the  amount  of  their 
precious  metal  values  make  it  almost  certain  that  they  will 
become  important  mines  sooner  or  later. 

Mariposa  County  covers  a  large  area  of  the  Sierra  slope  at 
about  the  latitude  of  San  Francisco,  has  an  irregularly  tri- 
angular shape,  and,  unlike  Tuolumne  County  on  its  north, 
has  the  base  of  the  triangle  it  constitutes  in  the  foothills  and 
its  narrow  end  near  the  cre.st  of  the  range.  It  shares  the 
rugged  topography,  forests,  and  abundant  waters  characteristic 
of  the  slope.  The  county  is  chiefly  known  to  the  world 
through  its  possession  of  those  natural  wonders,  the  Yosemite 
Valley  and  the  chief  groves  of  the  kingly  Sequoia  gigantea, 
or  "  Big  Trees."  A  branch  railroad  reaches  to  Raymond  in 
Madera  County  close  to  the  southwestern  boundary,  but  the 
county  is  handicapped  by  lack  of  convenient  transportation 
facilities. 

While  the  county  has  various  resources  and  attractions,  it 
is  and  will  remain  chiefly  a  mineral  county.  As  such  it  has 
an  important  future.  It  is  full  of  opportunities  for  legitimate 
mining  enterprise  backed  with  sufficient  capital.  The  great 
Mother  Lode  courses  through  the  county  and  finds  its  south- 
ern terminus  in  the  southern  part  of  this  county,  where  it  loses 
its  identity  and  is  succeeded  by  the  irregular  system  of  quartz 
veins  which  continues  far  southward  along  the  slope.  In 
Mariposa    County  the    Mother    Lode  is  characterized  by  the 


204  THE  COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

great  width  of  its  quartz  veins  and  ore  bodies.  About  fifteen 
miles  of  the  lode  are  included  in  the  Mariposa  Grant,  an  estate 
of  over  44,000  acres,  owned  by  a  compan}^  that  is  now  re-open- 
ing some  old  mines,  one  of  which  yielded  $4,000,000  many 
years  ago.  Another  section  of  the  lode  is  included  in  the 
20,000  acres  held  by  the  Merced  Gold  Mining  Company.  Some 
miles  from  the  Mother  Lode  is  the  East  Belt,  one  of  whose 
mines  has  produced  $2,500,000.  The  copper  belt  running 
through  the  foothills  courses  for  forty  miles  through  Mariposa 
County,  and  here  there  has  been  a  great  deal  of  recent  activity 
in  the  opening  of  both  gold  and  copper  mines.  Communication 
with  this  region  is  by  highway  to  railroad  points  along  the 
east  side  of  the  *  valley  below.  The  copper  properties  here 
described  are  mainly  taken  in  succession  northward  from  the 
south  side  of  the  county. 

Near  the  south  line  of  Mariposa  County,  in  R.  18  E.,  is 
Green  Mountain,  a  considerable  prominence  through  whose 
summit  passes  a  vein  of  ironstone  carrying  copper.  This  vein 
is  a  part  of  the  great  California  copper  belt,  and  at  this  locality 
has  a  large,  heavy,  bold  cropping  of  gossan,  which  is  a 
hydrated,  silicious  iron  oxide,  the  decomposed  remains  of  a 
solid  iron  sulphide  rock  that  contained  copper.  All  the  copper, 
formerly  doubtless  in  the  condition  of  copper  sulphide,  has  not 
leached  out  of  this  gossan  mass.  A  small  amount,  from  i  to  4 
per  cent,  sometimes  remains  on  the  decomposed  surface 
material,  and  in  several  instances  has  been  the  means  of 
leading  to  the  discovery  of  the  ma.sses  of  richer  copper  ore 
lying  below  the  zone  of  decomposition. 

Green  Mountain  Mines. — Situated  about  six  miles  west 
from  Raymond,  in  Sees.  31  and  32,  T.  7  S.,  R.  18  E.  The 
owners  are  O.  R.  Sydney  et  al. ;  postofBce  address,  Le  Grande. 
The  mines  have  been  worked  at  various  times  since  1863,  and 
have  produced  large  quantities  of  high-grade  copper  oxide  and 
carbonate  ores.  Thousands  of  feet  of  tunnels  and  drifts  have 
been  run  in  development  and  for  the  extraction  of  ore.  These 
openings,  as  well  as  the  croppings  of  gossan,  show  the  vein,  or 
deposit,  to  be  from  300  to  1200  feet  in  width  between  the 
inclosing  walls  of  grano-diorite  on  the  east  and  diorite  on  the 
west.  There  is  a  large  number  of  openings  on  the  property, 
the  most  important  of  which  are  two  tunnels  several  hundred 


r 


I — -- 


N 


^>1H  Iff  lYf) 


■JUJ  AtiU'i a  >_"-./. 


■*'*# ' 


GREEN  MOUNTAIN  GROUP  OF  MINING  CLAIMS,  MARIPOSA  COUNTY. 


(;K1-;HN    MOINTAIN  COIM'lvK   MINI-:,   MAKII'OSA   ColNTY 


DUMP  OK  THK  CREKN  MOINTAIN  COPPKR  MINE,  MARIPOSA  COUNTY. 

(205) 


u>  WIAl  VIUO 


(.ki-;i-:N  MoiNiAiN  c<i1'1'i:k  mini;,  mariposa  coi'ntv 


Dl'MT  OF  THK  C.RKKN   MOINTAIN  COPPKR  MINE,  MARIPOSA  COUNTY. 

(205) 


206  THK   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

feet  in  length,  above  which  are  the  stopes  and  chambers  from 
which  the  best  ore  has  been  taken  and  shipped.  The  lower  or 
east  tunnel  is  in  600  feet.  At  about  400  feet  it  has  cross-cut  a 
vein  60  feet  in  width.  This  is  said  to  carry  good  values  in 
copper  and  gold.  The  main  body  of  ore  lies  back  of  this,  the 
openings  or  workings  of  which  are  about  60  feet  above  the 
tunnel  level,  to  which  they  are  all  connected  ])y  an  upraise. 
From  this  upraise,  several  hundred  feet  of  drifts  and  chambers 
are  run  in  sulphide  ores  of  good  value.  Thus  far,  no  walls 
have  been  found  in  these  workings.  About  900  feet  west  from 
the  above  tunnel,  and  50  feet  above  it,  another  tunnel  has  been 
run  several  hundred  feet,  and  from  it  a  large  quantity  of 
carbonate  and  sulphide  ores  has  been  extracted  and  shipped. 
The  conditions  in  this  last  tunnel  are  about  the  same  as  the)' 
are  in  the  one  first  specified.  /.  e.,  a  large  area  of  sulphide  ore 
has  been  exposed,  but  no  walls  found.  The  owners  are  now 
making  arrangements  to  explore  these  vast  bodies  of  ore  with 
diamond  drills. 

Lone  Tree  Mine. — This  property,  situated  a  short  distance 
west  from  the  Green  Mountain,  with  the  same  ownership, 
shows  a  well-defined  vein  of  schistose  rocks,  or  coppery  gangue, 
about  300  feet  wide,  from  which  large  quantities  of  carbonate 
ores  have  been  extracted  and  shipped.  This  mine  is  opened 
by  several  shafts,  varying  from  25  to  100  feet  in  depth,  all 
showing  copper  ore  of  good  quality.  No  sulphides  have  yet 
been  reached  on  this  property.  The  average  depth  below 
croppings,  in  both  the  Green  Mountain  and  Lone  Tree  mines, 
to  which  the  gossan  extends,  is  about  100  feet.     Development. 

Cavan  Mining  and  Milling  Co. — This  company's  property 
lies  in  Sees.  4  and  5,  T.  8  S.,  R.  18  E.,  nine  and  a  half  miles 
from  Raymond,  Madera  County,  and  comprises  235  acres  of 
ground  wnth  mill  site.  The  headquarters  of  the  company  are 
at  Stockton.  The  resident  superintendent  and  vice-president 
is  I.  C.  Leonard.  The  development  work  on  the  property  has 
been  to  the  extent  and  on  the  claims  specified  below.  The 
mines  are  all  in  the  copper  belt,  are  easily  accessible  from  the 
railway,  and  are  favorably  located  for  economical  work. 

On  the  Rothchilds  claim  is  a  cross-cut  tunnel,  which  is 
expected  to  reach  the  vein  in  this  claim  at  a  depth  of  250  feet, 
and  in   the  Good  View   at  a  depth  of   375   to  400  feet.     The 


AT  Tin-.  (•.ki;i;n  mointain  C(ti'i'i;K  mini;,  makiposa  cointv. 


:  ^\..^i*-^    ln*-t, 


^^ff.  .r^^^K 


I.ONK  TKKK   mini;.   MAKIPOSA  COINTV 


(207) 


208  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

tunnel  was  in  240  feet  when  inspected.  There  is  a  20-foot 
shaft  on  the  south  end  of  the  Good  View.  This  follows  a 
streak  of  ore  6  to  8  inches  in  width,  from  the  top  of  the  shaft 
to  near  the  bottom.  There  is  an  ore  vein  on  the  surface  20 
inches  wide.  The  ore  from  these  streaks  is  said  to  average 
15  to  25  per  cent  copper.  The  streak  shows  at  interv^als  for  over 
1400  feet  in  length.  The  whole  width  of  the  two  claims, 
viz.,  1200  feet,  exposes  layers  of  quartz,  slate,  ironstone,  schist, 
shale,  and  sandstone.  The  main  shaft  was  down  140  feet. 
The  vein  exposed  varies  from  6  inches  to  6  feet  in  width,  show- 
ing, down  to  75  feet,  oxidized  copper  ores,  azurite,  malachite, 
etc.,  but  below  75  feet  the  ore  is  solid  pyrites  and  chalco- 
pyrites.  Smelter  returns  of  shipments  of  this  ore  show  31  per 
cent  copper.  There  are  two  other  shafts,  down  40  and  54  feet 
each,  showing  ore  of  the  same  character  as  in  the  deep  shaft, 
10  to  24  inches  in  width  from  top  to  bottom.  The  vein  matter 
is  mainly  diabase  or  meta-diabase,  is  400  to  500  feet  in  width, 
and  is  known  to  be  over  10,000  feet  in  length. 

The  Sunset  claim  has  a  shaft  down  58  feet,  showing  reported 
values  of  17  per  cent  ore  from  10  feet  below  the  surface  to  the 
bottom  of  the  shaft.  The  ore  varies  from  6  to  30  inches  in 
width.  There  is  a  schistose  (diabase)  foot  wall  and  for  1000 
feet  a  serpentine  hanging  wall.  This  serpentine  at  its  ends 
changes  into  a  brownish  schistose  rock.  The  vein  matter 
consists  of  stringers  of  quartz,  schistose,  and  ironstone  rocks, 
all  more  or  less  mineralized.     The  ore  bodies  are  lenticular. 

On  the  Crown  Point  and  Little  Giant  surface  work  only  has 
been  performed. 

On  the  Copper  King  there  are  two  shafts,  one  20  feet  and 
one  50  feet  deep,  both  showing  ore  from  top  to  bottom,  6  to  30 
inches  in  width.  No  drifting  has  been  done  from  these  shafts. 
There  is  also  a  cross-cut  tunnel  65  feet  long. 

The  San  Jose  has  a  cross-cut  tunnel  1 70  feet  long.  Three 
winzes  from  this  tunnel,  respectively  40,  80,  and  115  feet 
deep,  show  an  ore  shoot  65  feet  long  and  4  feet  wide.  The 
115-foot  winze  shows  good  ore  from  top  to  bottom.  The  ore 
at  the  bottom  is  ^%  feet  wide.  The  hanging  and  foot  walls 
appear  to  be  about  700  feet  apart;  for  that  distance  the  same 
vein  formation  of  meta-diabase  (schistose  rock  and  talcose 
.schist),  ironstone,  and  quartz  appear,  as  in  other  places. 

The  Stonewall  Jackson  shows  on  the  surface  croppings  of 


MARIPOSA    COUNTY — COPPER    CLAIMS. 


209 


quartz  carn-ing  copper  ore  (chrysocolla)  5  feet  in  width,  and 
a  solid  body  of  decomposed  silicious  iron  from  75  to  100  feet  in 
width.     Development  in  progress. 

Great  Northern  Mine.— In  Sees.  2,  3,  10,  and  11,  T.  7  S.. 
R.  17  K.  Owners,  S.  A.  and  C.  R.  Wilcox.  There  are  three 
shafts,  25,  70,  and  no  feet  in  depth.  Cross-cuts  are  run  from 
the  bottom  of  the  deepest  shaft  for  about  40  feet.  The  ore 
body  is  from   i   to  8  feet  in   width.     The  vein  matter  is  of  a 


POCAHONT.AS  COPPER  MINK,  MAKIPOS.A.  COUNTY. 

schistose  (meta-diabase)  character.  The  ores  are  green  car- 
bonates, yellow  and  black-blue  sulphides.  Wood  and  water 
are  not  plentiful  in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  A  shipment 
of  ore  was  reported  to  have  yielded  1 5  per  cent  copper  and  no 
gold.     Idle. 

Pocahontas  Mine.— In  Sec.  14,  T.  7  S.,  R.  17  E.;  owned  by 
Mrs.  Abbey  Waller.  When  visited  it  was  under  bond  and 
being  worked  by  William  Mcintosh  and  W.  M.  Darling  of  San 
Francisco.  The  property  consists  of  160  acres  of  patented 
land,  through  which  runs  a  belt  of  several  seams,  or  veins,  of 
14— BuL.  23 


210  THE    COPPER    KESOURCES   OF   CALII-OKNIA. 

iron  ore  carr>-ing  copper.  The  general  strike  of  these  veins  is 
in  a  northeasterly  direction.  This  belt  of  veins  has  a  grano- 
diorite  east  wall  and  a  diorite  west  wall,  and  dips  to  the  east. 
The  vein  matter  is  mainly  diabase  and  altered  diabase,  a  hard, 
shiny,  bluish-gray  rock  that  is  frequently  highly  mineralized, 
and  with  its  inclosures  of  pyrites  and  chalcopyrites  constitutes 
the  ore  masses  of  these  copper  mines  in  Mariposa  County. 
The  width  of  the  principal  vein  is  practically'  lOO  feet  between 
its  inclosing  walls.  Between  the  grano-diorite  and  diorite  the 
distance  in  places  is  over  looo  feet.  The  deposits  of  metallic 
sulphides,  viz.,  iron,  copper,  and  zinc  sulphides,  occur  in 
lenses.  One  of  these  bodies  being  worked  on  the  Pocahontas 
is  known  to  be  50  feet  long,  4  feet  wide,  and  over  100  feet 
deep.  It  consists  of  a  dark-colored  sulphide  ore,  said  to  carr>' 
from  6  to  12  per  cent  of  copper  and  $2.50  in  gold.  Carbonates 
of  copper  predominate  down  to  the  100-foot  level,  where  it  all 
changes  into  sulphides.  The  vein  is  traced  through  the  whole 
length  of  the  property  and  extends  both  ways  into  other  prop- 
erties. There  are  several  openings  on  the  main  vein,  some  of 
which  were  made  in  the  sixties.  The  main  shaft,  through 
which  all  the  development  is  now  being  done  and  ore 
extracted,  was  over  100  feet  deep,  with  a  promising  body,  in 
size,  of  the  best  quality  ore  discovered  in  the  mine.  This  is  a 
dark-blue  sulphide  ore.  Green  carbonate  ore  has  been  shipped 
that  yielded  35  per  cent  copper.  Other  carload  shipments 
have  given  30  per  cent  copper.  There  is  on  the  dump  over 
350  tons  of  ore  of  good  grade.  The  former  lessees  (Wilcox 
Bros.)  within  the  three  years  shipped  over  $30,000  worth  of 
copper  ore.  The  adjacent  country  consists  of  low  rolling 
hills  and  grazing  land,  is  easy  of  access,  and  is  twenty-four 
miles  from  Merced,  and  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  Santa  Fe 
Railroad. 

White  Rock  Copper  King  Mine.— In  Sec.  14,  T.  7  S., 
R.  17  E.  It  lies  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  the  contact 
of  the  grano-diorite  belt.  The  vein  matter  is  schistose  diabase, 
25  feet  and  upward  in  width.  There  are  heavy  gossan  crop- 
pings.  Cuts,  shafts,  and  openings  in  these  croppings  show 
that  these  decomposed  masses  extend  downward  for  more  than 
30  feet.  The  main  shaft  is  over  150  feet  deep.  This  is 
equipped  with  a  whim  hoist.     Development  work  in  this  shaft 


WMITI-;   ROCK.  MARiroSA  ColNTY 


WIIITH  R(JCK   MINK,  -MARU'OSA  COIXTY. 


(211) 


212  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

was  in  progress.  Below  lOO  feet  the  ore  is  sulphide.  From 
the  shaft  there  are  over  175  feet  of  drifts,  all  in  ore.  The  vein 
channel  is  100  feet  wide,  as  shown  by  these  drifts.  Several 
carloads  of  oxide  and  carbonate  ores  were  shipped,  which 
yielded  35  per  cent  copper.  During  December  there  were 
shipped  50  tons  of  black  oxide  averaging  32  per  cent.  On  the 
dump  there  are  several  varieties  of  copper  ore,  while  the 
bottom  of  the  shaft  is  in  good  sulphide  ore.  One  carload  of 
ore  was  shipped  that  assayed  over  40  per  cent  copper.  The 
vein  is  traced  southward  to  the  Green  Mountain  mine,  a  dis- 
tance of  over  three  and  a  half  miles,  and  northward  for  over 
half  a  mile.  The  ore  carries  from  $1.50  to  $2.50  in  gold  and 
I  to  3^2  ounces  of  silver  per  ton.  About  100  feet  to  the  east 
of  the  main  shaft  is  a  hole  10  feet  wide,  15  feet  long,  and  40 
feet  deep,  all  in  gossan.  This  gossan  contains  from  about  4 
to  7  per  cent  of  copper.  The  superintendent  of  the  property  is 
Edwin  L.  Foster;  postoffice  address,  Lewis.  The  mine  was 
discovered  in  1900.  At  this  point  the  copper  belt  is  known  to 
be  over  three  and  a  half  miles  wide.  The  property  is  about 
thirteen  miles  east  of  Le  Grande,  on  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad, 
and  easily  accessible. 

Throughout  the  belt  of  country  in  which  are  the  Green 
Mountain,  Pocahontas,  and  White  Rock  mines,  can  be  seen  on 
almost  every  knoll,  for  a  width  of  three  or  four  miles,  very 
heavy  croppings  of  decomposed  ironstone  which  carry  copper. 
All  of  these  have  a  general  northerly  and  southerly  trend. 
This  character  of  formation,  with  slight  modifications,  extends 
up  to  and  beyond  Hornitos,  but  is  particularly  noticeable  in 
the  White  Rock  section.  Another  feature  of  the  White  Rock 
section  is  the  frequency  of  strong  white  quartz  croppings,  from 
the  principal  one  of  which  the  district  derives  its  name. 

Cornett  Copper  Mine.— In  Sec.  19,  T.  6  S.,  R.  17  E.; 
H.  W.  Cornett,  owner.  The  sulphide  ore  appears  at  the  surface. 
The  vein  matter  is  schistose  diabase,  the  most  mineralized  por- 
tion of  which  forms  a  vein  34  inches  wide.  The  grano-diorite 
belt  is  only  a  short  distance  to  the  east.  The  ore  is  mainly 
sulphide,  and  160  sacks  of  it,  shipped,  yielded  17,  22,  and  23 
per  cent  of  copper,  $2.26  and  $4.60  in  gold.  The  deposit  is 
about  twenty-one  miles  east  of  Merced.     Developing. 


MAKII'USA    COINTV — COPI'KR    CLAIMS.  213 

Lone  Tree  Mine. — Owned  by  H.  W.  Cornett;  is  in  Sec.  2, 
T.  7  S.,  R.  15  IC.  Heavy  gossan  croppings  show  in  several  places 
on  the  claim.  The  inclosing  rocks  are  a  slaty  schistose  diabase. 
The  only  development  is  a  shaft  about  20  feet  deep.  This 
property  is  about  seventeen  miles  east  of  Merced.  The  ore 
carries  a  good  percentage  of  copper.     Developing. 

John  Dias  Mine.— In  vSec.  12,  T.  6  S.,  R.  16  E.  Opened  by 
a  shaft  24  feet  deep.  It  shows  a  mineralized  vein  3  feet  wide 
in  schistose  diabase.  The  vein  strikes  northwest.  The  ores 
are  red  oxide,  azurite,  chrysocolla,  and  chalcopyrite.  The 
owners  were  extracting  and  shipping  ore  reputed  to  yield  over 
$40  per  ton  in  copper  and  gold. 

Northward  from  the  Dias  mine,  the  copper  belt  is  traced  up 
to  and  l)eyond  Indian  Gulch  and  Hornitos  by  prospect  holes, 
cuts,  and  minor  shafts.  It  apparently  bears  off  a  little  to  the 
east  in  the  same  manner  observed  in  places  in  counties  of  the 
State  farther  to  the  north  in  following  the  bends  of  the  grano- 
diorite  lying  to  the  east.  After  passing  Hornitos,  it  strikes 
through  Hunter's  Valley,  where  there  have  been  several 
important  openings  made  and  extensive  mining  operations 
carried  on  in  years  past,  especially  in  the  sixties. 

La  Victoria  Mine. — Owned  by  the  Coppertown  Mining 
and  Smelting  Company,  of  San  Francisco;  in  Sees.  4,  9,  and  10, 
T.  4  S.,  R.  1 6  E.  The  company  owns  7400  feet  on  the  copper  belt. 
The  strike  of  the  vein  is  in  a  northwesterly  direction.  The 
vein  matter  as  explored  by  a  tunnel  is  300  feet  wide;  in  other 
places  it  appears  to  be  over  600  feet  wide.  The  vein  formation 
is  schistose  diabase.  The  character  of  the  grano-diorite  east 
wall  here  is  changed,  resembling  diorite  more  than  granite. 
The  ores  are  green  carbonate,  gray  copper,  chalcopyrite,  red 
oxide,  azurite,  and  the  dark  bluish  sulphide.  Heavy  gossan 
cappings  cover  all  the  copper  ores.  There  is  an  old  shaft  said 
to  be  200  feet  deep  in  dark-colored  oxide  ore.  A  tunnel  395 
feet  long  diagonally  cross-cuts  the  vein  formation.  From  this 
tunnel  ore  has  been  breasted  out  to  a  width  of  over  125  feet. 
Besides  the  above  main  shaft  and  tunnel  there  are  many  open 
cuts,  openings,  cross-cuts,  and  shafts,  six  of  which  average  75 
feet  deep.  A  belt  of  limestone  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide  runs 
parallel  with  the  veins  farther  to  the  west  and  adjacent  to  the 


214 


THK   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


vein  formation.  In  man}-  places  the  vein  is  blind,  but  the 
iron  cappings,  sometimes  gossan  and  occasional!}-  magnetite  or 
black  ironstone,  are  in  line,  and  regular  in  their  north  and 
south  trend.  All  the  ores  carrj^  some  gold,  the  gossan 
included.  This  property  was  owned  b}-  a  French  company 
when  formerl}'  in  active  operation.  Three  hundred  men  were 
employed  in  the  mines,  and  a  prosperous  town  of  over  400 
population  flourished.  Records  show  that  over  2000  tons  of 
ore  were  shipped  via  Stockton;  shipping  charges  were  $74  per 


LA  VICTORIA  MINE,  MARIPOSA  COUNTY. 

ton;  2000  tons  of  ore  were  worked  on  the  ground  by  roasting 
and  leaching,  and  some  by  smelting;  200  tons  of  matte  were 
produced  that  carried  40  to  60  per  cent  of  copper  and  from 
$400  to  $500  in  gold  to  the  ton.  This  was  done  in  1864  and 
1865,  when  copper  values  were  high.  There  is  now  to  be  seen 
a  large  dump  of  about  5000  tons  of  ore,  said  to  contain  6  per 
cent  in  copper.  The  French  company  performed  considerable 
development.  At  present  active  operations  are  being  resumed 
and  14  men  are  employed  in  development.  The  property  is  a 
portion   of   the   lands   owned   by   the    Pullavincini,    Dulcich, 


.      MARIPOSA    COUNTY COPPER    CLAIMS.  215 

Maschio.  uiul  Enos  families.     The  La  Fayette  claim  is  on  the 
scnitli  end  of  the  jiroperty  and  has  little  development. 

Barretta  Mine. — In  vSecs.  30  and  32,  T.  3  S.,  R.  16  K.; 
Joseph  Barretta.  owner.  This  claim  was  mined  in  the  sixties. 
There  is  now  a  shaft  about  200  feet  deep  showing  sulphide 
copper  ore,  reported  to  be  rich  in  gold.  There  is  a  large 
amount  of  ore  now  on  the  dump.     Idle. 

The  copper  belt  runs  hence  acro.ss  the  Merced  River,  and 
near  it  api^ars  to  branch.  The  west  belt  enters  Tuolumne 
County  through  the  locality  of  the  vSalambo  mine,  in  Sees.  30 
and  32,  T.  2  S.,  R.  15  E.  The  eastern  branch  passes  near 
Piiion  Blanco  (Mother  Lode). 

Daniel  Castignetto  has  a  claim,  a  quarter  mile  north  of 
Barretta's,  in  vSec.  30,  T.  3  S.,  R.  16  E.  It  shows  strong  gossan 
croppings  and  a  vein  20  feet  wide,  composed  of  a  schistose 
rock.  The  shaft  is  30  feet  deep,  showing  decomposed  red, 
blue,  and  green  copper  ore,  and  is  reported  to  assay  6  per  cent 
in  copper  and  to  prospect  high  in  gold.     Idle. 

Farrari  Brothers  own  a  claim  near  by  that  carries  a  fair 
grade  of  copper  ore,  opened  by  cuts,  and  a  shaft  50  feet  deep. 
From  this  claim  it  is  reported  they  have  recently  taken  out 
$5000  in  gold.     Idle. 

There  is  a  claim  about  a  quarter  mile  from  the  Chemisal 
House,  whereon  are  two  shafts  sunk  in  the  gossan,  one  15  feet, 
the  other  20  feet  deep.  Fair  copper  ore.  Owner,  Daniel 
Castignetto.     This  is  in  Sec.  31,  T.  3  S.,  R.  16  IC     Idle. 

John  Barfield,  in  Pleasant  Valley,  owns  the  Bruschi  mine, 
opened  many  years  ago  by  shafts,  cuts,  and  tunnels.  The 
claim  runs  to  the  Merced  River,  in  T.  3  S.,  R.  15  E.     Idle. 

Between  Barfield's  and  Hornitos  there  are  copper  croppings 
somewhat  prospected,  especially  at  about  half  way  between 
the  two  places  on  Phillips  Flat. 

From  Barfield's,  across  the  river  to  the  north  are  croppings, 
and  on  Antone  Rihn's  ranch,  in  Sec.  13,  T.  3  S.,  R.  15  E.,  there 
are  shafts  60  and  40  feet  deep  respectively,  showing  chal- 
copyrite,  besides  decomposed  copper  ore.  On  the  Halstead 
place  there  are  croppings  and  a  shaft  30  feet  deep,  showing 
copper  ore.  The  vein  is  4  to  6  feet  wide.  The  croppings  are 
copper-stained  schistose  rock. 


216  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA*. 

At  Flyaway,  about  five  miles  southeast  of  Coulterville,  on  the 
county  road  to  Bear  Valley,  is  a  claim  having  a  shaft  75  feet 
deep,  with  drifts  at  bottom.  The  croppings  of  the  vein  are  7 
feet  wide.  It  is  in  the  serpentine  belt  that  traverses  the  country 
hereabouts.  In  the  shaft  the  vein,  carrying  copper,  averages 
12  feet  wide.  The  copper  content  has  always  been  neglected, 
and  the  ore  worked  only  for  gold.  It  is  reported  that  about 
$75,000  in  gold  has  been  taken  from  pockets  in  the  mine. 
The  owner  is  G.  Commissiona.     Property  idle. 

In  the  eastern  portion  of  the  county  there  are  indications  of 
extensive  deposits  of  copper  ore,  which  have  never  been 
worked  to  any  considerable  extent.  The  Minarets,  on  King 
Creek,  a  west  branch  of  the  Little  San  Joaquin,  on  the  south 
shoulder  of  Mount  Lyell,  exhibits  strongly  impregnated  copper 
rocks.  There  is  no  development,  however,  to  show  the  extent 
or  value  of  the  deposits. 

On  the  north  fork  of  Chowchilla  Creek,  in  Sec.  34,  T.  6  S.^ 
R.  19  E.,  at  Indian  Peak,  considerable  prospecting  is  being 
done  by  Mr.  Ward,  of  Grub  Gulch.  Considerable  native  copper 
is  found  in  the  ores. 

Copper  Queen  Mine. — P.  Stanton  and  J.  J.  Trabucco  own 
a  claim  in  Sec.  19,  T.  5  S.,  R.  19  E.  It  is  east  of  the  Mother 
Lode  and  about  three  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the  town  of 
Mariposa.  The  vein  strikes  northwest.  A  shaft  has  been 
sunk  40  feet,  and  an  incline  15  feet  deep  shows  a  vein  over  4. 
feet  wide  in  a  schistose  formation.  The  ore  is  green  carbonate 
on  top,  with  blue  sulphide  below;  some  is  ver>'  high  grade, 
carrying  massive  native  copper.     Idle. 

George  Heiser  owns  an  adjoining  claim,  showing  similar 
ore,  with  shaft  30  feet  deep.  The  values  reported  are  from  19 
to  37  per  cent  in  copper.  Idle.  There  is  an  abundance  of 
timber  surrounding  the  above  two  properties. 

Copper  in  slate  and  quartz  is  occasionally  found  in  localities 
adjacent  to  the  Mother  Lode,  and  on  the  east  side  of  it,  along 
its  course,  but  such  occurrences  have  never  proved  to  have 
any  economic  value. 

There  is  a  minor  spur  from  the  copper  belt  proper  in  the 
southwestern  corner  of  the  county  in  Sec.  30,  T.  8  S.,  R.  18  E» 
Not  much  prospecting  has  been  done  upon  it. 


MADKRA    COUNTY.  217 

MADI-.RA   CorXTY. 


The  foothill  copper  belt  maintains  in  Madera  County  the 
importance,  promise,  and  characteristics  it  displays  in  Mariposa 
County  to  the  north.  At  various  points  through  this  county 
it  exhibits  strong  copper-bearing  veins,  frequently  carrying 
good  values  in  gold.  Here,  too,  were  some  of  the  important 
early  attempts  at  copj^er  mining  and  smelting.  Before  1866,  the 
Buchanan  mine,  near  the  northern  boundary,  was  operated 
with  the  aid  of  a  small  furnace,  and  1 50  tons  of  copper  bars  had 
been  shipped.  This  county  has  also  been  the  scene  of  recent 
attempts  at  mining  and  reduction  of  copper  ores  by  the  Cali- 
fornia Copper  Company,  though  temporary  failure  has  marked 
the  attempt.  During  the  past  two  years  several  copper 
properties  have  been  undergoing  development. 

Madera  County  differs  from  its  northern  neighbors  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada  mineral  belt  in  reaching  westward  past  the  foot- 
hills to  the  center  of  the  great  San  Joaquin  Valley,  and  so 
including  in  its  area  a  large  section  of  that  fertile  plain.  It 
mainly  lies  on  the  slope,  however,  reaching  to  the  summit  line 
of  the  range,  and  possessing  a  wealth  of  minerals,  forests,  and 
waters.  Though  the  Mother  Lode  and  the  auriferous  slate 
belt  of  the  slope  terminate  just  to  its  north,  the  county  includes 
a  rich  section  of  the  Sierra  auriferous  belt,  but  the  multitudi- 
nous quartz  veins  are  in  granite  and  other  formations.  There 
are  .several  important  gold  mining  districts  in  the  county,  includ- 
ing Grub  Gulch,  F'ine  Gold,  Fresno,  Potter's  Ridge,  and  others, 
and  a  number  of  important  mines  have  been  developed,  yet  the 
county  has  been  strangely  neglected  and  its  mineral  resources 
are  but  slighth-  developed  or  even  known. 

High  in  the  vSierras,  by  the  Minaret  Mountains,  are  rich 
silver-bearing  veins,  and  one  of  the  largest  and  richest  deposits 
of  iron  ore  in  the  United  States.  Difficulty  of  access  and 
other  conditions  have  kept  them  undeveloped.  A  movement 
to  exploit  the  Minaret  district  has  recently  been  started. 

Among  other  mineral  resources  of  the  county  is  granite.  The 
granite  quarry  at  Raymond  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
active  in  the  west.  The  foothill  mineral  belt  crosses  the 
county  from  Mariposa  to  Fresno,  maintaining  its  southeasterly 
course  and  its  relative  position  on  the  slope. 


218  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Buchanan  Mine. — Close  to  the  northern  boundary  of 
Madera  County,  but  a  little  south  of  the  Green  Mountain  mine 
in  Mariposa  County,  is  the  old  Buchanan  mine,  lately  re-opened 
on  a  small  scale.  It  is  in  Sec.  33,  T.  8  S.,  R.  18  E.,  and  is  now 
owned  by  G.  A.  Pherson.  Five  miles  southwest  is  Daulton, 
on  the  branch  railroad  to  Raymond.  The  mine  is  opened  by 
five  tunnels,  respectively  500,  120,  100,  60,  and  30  feet  in  length. 
There  are  also  two  shafts,  each  about  200  feet  deep.  The  vein 
matter  is  diabase  and  araphibolite  schist,  both  mineralized. 
The  east  wall  of  the  diabase  dike  is  grano-diorite.  The  ores 
are  principally  oxides  near  the  surface.  In  depth  they  are  the 
unaltered  sulphides.  Lessees  were  working  the  mine  at  the 
time  of  inspection,  and  were  completing  a  shipment  of  one  car- 
load of  ore.  This  ore  was  reported  to  contain  about  1 5  per  cent 
of  copper  and  about  $3  in  gold  per  ton.  There  are  three 
winzes  below  the  500-foot  tunnel,  which  show  the  four  veins 
from  4  to  9  feet  wide.  The  large  dumps  show  that  extensive 
work  has  been  done  in  times  past,  since  the  discover^'-  of  the 
deposits  in  the  early  sixties.  What  ore  can  be  seen  appears 
to  be  good  both  in  quantity  and  quality.  The  mine  is  near 
the  railroad. 

On  the  line  southeast  toward  the  Daulton  ranch  house  there 
are  several  openings  on  the  belt  consisting  of  old  and  new 
shafts,  cuts,  and  tunnels,  whereby  one  is  enabled  to  trace  the 
course  of  the  belt  unerringly. 

Copper  Queen  Mine— In  Sec.  15,  T.  9  S.,  R.  18  E.,  two 
and  a  half  miles  north  of  the  Daulton  house.  Mr.  Allinger 
has  bonded  the  property  and  was  sinking  a  shaft  in  the  same 
formation  as  at  the  Buchanan  and  in  the  Daulton  mines,  and 
obtaining  the  same  class  of  ore.     Owner,  the  Daulton  Estate. 

West  of  the  old  Daulton  school-house  a  short  distance  are 
several  old  shafts,  showing  copper  ores,  oxides  and  sulphides. 

On  the  northern  part  of  the  Daulton  ranch  there  are  several 
good  copper  prospects. 

California  Copper  Co. — This  is  a  New  York  corporation 
which  bought  the  Ne  Plus  Ultra  and  other  claims  on  the 
Daulton  ranch,  near  the  railroad,  in  Sec.  35,  T.  9  S.,  R.  18  E., 
about  four  years  ago.  The  mine  was  developed  and  a  100- ton 
smelter  was  erected  at  Madera,  twelve  miles  distant,  in  1899- 


•J 


CJlii) 


220  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

1900.  After  four  months  of  smelting,  the  smelter  and  mine 
closed  down  in  June,  1900,  and  have  since  been  idle.  The  claims 
are  opened  by  three  shafts  and  equipped  with  steam  hoists. 
The  depths  of  the  shafts  are  respectively  200,  200,  and  120 
feet.  Besides  these,  there  is  another  shaft  on  the  Nelson  claim 
100  feet  deep,  equipped  with  a  whim.  The  vein  matter  is  in 
places  200  feet  wide.  The  more  condensed  areas  of  mineral- 
ization are  about  60  feet  in  width.  The  formation  is  diabase, 
which  in  places  changes  to  talcose  schist.  Grano-diorite  lies 
to  the  east,  as  is  usual  on  this  belt.  The  ores  are  carbonates, 
oxides,  and  sulphides.  The  two  former  overlie  the  latter  and 
are  in  lens-shaped  bunches.  There  are  gossan  croppings  cap- 
ping the  ore  bodies.  •  The  strike  of  the  vein  is  northeast;  the 
dip  is  to  the  east.  Large  quantities  of  ore  have  been  extracted, 
shipped,  and  smelted.  The  three  hoists  surmount  the  summit 
of  a  low  hill,  around  whose  base  are  grouped  the  various 
mine  buildings,  such  as  bunk  houses,  store,  ofi&ces,  shops, 
dwellings,  etc. 

The  smelting  plant  of  the  company'  is  located  at  Madera, 
twelve  miles  west  from  the  mines.  The  ore  was  transported 
to  Madera  by  teams,  from  which  point  it  was  shipped  by  rail 
to  one  of  the  acid  works  on  San  Francisco  Ba5\  The  sulphur 
was  there  extracted  and  the  cinders  returned  to  Madera,  where 
they  were  mixed  with  a  certain  proportion  of  raw  ore  and 
smelted  into  matte.  This  process  was  continued  for  about 
four  months,  when  the  smelter  was  shut  down.  While  in  blast 
they  shipped,  according  to  information,  on  an  average  one 
carload  of  matte  per  day.  The  smelter  is  of  100  tons  daily 
capacity. 

Questo  Mine. — This  is  the  south  extension  of  the  Daulton, 
and  is  owned  by  Mr.  Greenwood.  The  vein  matter  is  meta- 
diabase.  The  ore  occurs  in  lenses  and  with  good  copper  indi- 
cations. It  is  now  idle,  although  considerable  work  has  been 
performed  upon  it. 

The  copper  belt  extends  south  of  Daulton  to  the  San  Joaquin 
River,  the  county's  southern  boundary.  It  can  be  traced 
along  this  inter\'al  and  its  course  proven  bj-  croppings,  cuts, 
and  shallow  shafts,  but  thus  far  no  important  openings  have 
been  made  into  its  depths.     Near  the  Fresno  River  it  disap- 


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(221) 


222  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

pears,  but  reappears  farther  southward.  From  a  point  ten  or 
twelve  miles  directly  east  of  Madera  copper-stained  rock 
appears  continuously  into  Fresno  County.  The  formation  in 
which  the  masses  of  iron  and  copper  sulphides  occur  is  practi- 
cally the  same,  viz.,  a  meta-diabase.  The  grano-diorite  follows 
along  as  an  east  wall. 

In  Sees.  23  and  26,  T.  10  S.,  R.  19  E.,  on  patented  land 
owned  by  Mrs.  L,-  Krohn,  J.  H.  Ward  was  developing  under 
bond  an  old  claim  which  was  originally  taken  up  for  gold. 
Good  copper  ore  and  indications  of  a  deposit  were  obser\'ed. 

Adobe  Ranch. — ^.The  croppings  lead  into  what  is  known 
as  the  Adobe  ranch,  owner  C.  S.  Moses,  in  T.  10  S.,  R.  19  E., 
comprising  thirty-five  sections  of  land,  and  nine  miles  south  of 
Daulton.  There  are  several  places  on  the  ranch  where  30  per 
cent  copper  ore  is  said  to  have  been  taken  out. 

One  local  peculiarity  of  the  belt  in  Madera  County  is  the 
presence  of  graphite  in  seams  and  bunches  within  the  copper 
belt. 

At  the  Fresno  River  there  are  several  old  shafts,  the  dumps 
of  which  show  copper  ore.  The  belt  bears  off  easterly  and 
crosses  the  San  Joaquin  at  Pollasky,  which  is  in  T.  11  S., 
R.  21  E. 

On  the  Chowchilla  River,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county, 
in  T,  7  S.,  R.  19  E.,  there  is  quite  an  extensive  copper  deposit, 
which  C.  M.  Ward  was  prospecting.  The  ores  so  far 
developed  are  oxides  and  carbonates. 

Three  miles  east  of  Bellview,  in  Sec.  16,  T.  10  S.,  R.  21  E., 
off  the  copper  belt,  is  what  is  known  as  the  Old  Reed  mine, 
which  carries  some  copper  in  its  ores. 

Big  Chief. — This  claim,  owned  by  M.  Eauer  et  al.,  is  on 
the  east  bank  of  Fine  Gold  Creek,  in  Sec.  23,  T.  10  S., 
R.  21  E.,  in  the  Hildreth  mining  district,  on  the  south  side  of 
the  county.  Considerable  development  has  been  performed  on 
a  series  of  three  ledges,  2  to  8  feet  wide.  Here  the  smaller 
veins  are  of  quartz,  in  a  schistose  vein  matter  of  extensive 
width.     One  tunnel  is  in  46  feet.     There  is  a  shallow  shaft  10 


(223) 


224  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

feet  deep.  The  greater  part  of  the  work  is  again.st  the  face  of 
the  bluff,  where  the  veins  are  exposed.  The  copper  ores  are 
sulphides,  oxides,  and  green  carbonate,  and  it  is  said  that  they 
carry  values  of  $4  to  $5  in  gold  per  ton.  There  is  over  500 
tons  of  broken  mineralized  rock  on  the  dump.  Sinking  was 
in  progress  on  a  mineralized  vein  of  unknown  width. 


FRESNO  COUNTY. 


About  30  miles  of  the  foothill  copper  belt  measures  the 
narrowest  part  of  the  large  and  important  county  of  Fresno, 
which  stretches  from  the  crest  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  range 
for  nearly  150  miles  down  the  Sierra  slope,  across  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley,  and  up  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Coast  Range 
to  its  summit.  It  thus  naturally  displays  a  ver>'  great  diversi- 
fication of  physical  features,  conditions,  and  resources.  The 
rugged  and  well  timbered  and  watered  Sierra  slope,  nearly  60 
miles  wide  from  range  summit  to  valley  plain,  is  extensively 
mineralized,  but  its  mineral  resources  have  been  but  slightly 
exploited.  Gold  quartz  veins  are  plentiful  along  a  wide  belt, 
and  several  mining  districts  are  well  known,  but  the  gold 
product  is  yet  small.  In  few  counties  does  the  inaccessible 
and  unexplored  base-ore  belt  of  the  high  Sierras  display  more 
inviting  surface  indications.  Below  these  great  areas  is  the 
foothill  mineral  belt. 

The  varied  mineral  resources  of  the  county  that  have  been 
developed  are  mainly  in  the  lower  foothills  of  both  ranges. 
The  chief  feature  of  these  resources  is  the  petroleum  of  the 
famous  Coalinga  oil-field  on  the  western  side  of  the  valley,  the 
product  of  which  in  1900  was  about  548,000  barrels.  Near 
this  oil-field  are  extensive  coal  beds,  which  were  at  one  time 
mined.  Silver,  antimony,  iron,  bismuth,  chrome,  magnesite, 
building-stone,  and  mineral  waters  are  among  the  existent 
mineral  products  awaiting  utilization.  The  Sierra  slope  is 
well  watered  by  the  San  Joaquin  and  Kings  rivers  and  their 
tributaries.  The  great  stretch  of  valley  plain  is  wonderfully 
fertile  under  irrigation,  and  its  fruits  have  chiefly  given  the 


FRESNO    COUNTY COPPER    MINES    AND    CLAIMS.  225 

county  its  fame.  Here  is  the  great  raisin  district  of  the  State. 
One  of  the  important  electric  transmission  plants  of  the  wState 
finds  its  source  of  energy  in  a  Sierra  stream. 

The  foothill  copper  belt,  as  it  enters  the  county  from  Madera 
on  the  north,  displays  a  greater  width  than  in  any  of  the  other 
counties  traversed  by  the  belt  from  its  far  northern  end.  The 
copper  deposits  that  have  undergone  any  development  worthy 
of  note  are  all  near  the  northern  side  of  this  part  of  the  county, 
and  are  chiefly  in  T.  12  S.,  R.  21,  22,  23,  and  24  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
The  belt  here  appears  to  display  parallel  lodes,  spread  over  a 
width  of  perhaps  twenty  miles,  and  is  generally  taken  by  those 
locally  familiar  with  it  to  divide  into  two  branches  in  this 
region,  these  widely  di\erging  branches  continuing  separately 
on  through  Fresno  and  Tulare  counties.  The  property  best 
known,  by  reason  of  its  operations  and  its  large  capitalization, 
is  the  Copper  King,  which  has  been  extensively  developed 
and  which  has  for  some  time  been  a  producer.  Most  of  the 
other  properties  commanding  attention  as  prospects  are  within 
a  few  miles  of  the  Copper  King.  A  branch  railroad  to  Pol- 
lasky  runs  within  a  few  miles  of  this  copper  district  near  the 
northern  side  of  the  county.  Most  of  the  cupriferous  veins  of 
P>esno  County  carry  gold,  as  do  those  in  Madera  and  Mariposa 
to  the  north.  Far  east  of  the  belt,  and  high  in  the  Sierras,  at 
altitudes  of  several  thousand  feet,  are  various  mining  claims 
covering  veins  superficialh^  rich  in  copper  and  gold;  but,  like 
the  rest  of  the  mineral  riches  of  this  vast  region,  they  await 
the  more  favorable  conditions  that  time  will  bring  to  an  almost 
inaccessible  country. 

Painter  Mine. — This  property,  by  the  northern  boundary, 
near  Pollasky,  in  Sec.  33,  T.  11  vS..  R.  21  E..  is  owned  by  the 
Imperial  Copper  Mining  Company.  The  course  of  the  vein  is 
23  degrees  north  of  west.  There  are  gossan  croppings  i  to  20 
feet  wide.  The  vein  matter  is  meta-diabase,  changing  in  some 
places  to  talcose  schist.  The  country  rock  is  diabase  and 
amphibolite  schist.  The  vein  followed  in  the  workings  is  from 
4  to  7  feet  wide.  The  mine  was  re-opened  in  1900.  The 
development  consists  of  one  shaft  1 10  feet  deep,  equipped  wuth 
a  horse- whim,  which  shaft  follows  oxidized  ores  for  100  feet, 
and  then  encounters  the  sulphides.     An  inclined  shaft  80  feet 

15— BuL.  23 


226  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

deep  follows  the  hanging  wall.  This  shaft  has  drifts  and 
cross-cuts  from  it,  with  total  lengths  of  i6o  feet.  Another 
shaft  has  been  sunk  50  feet  in  carbonate  ore.  There  is  an 
open  cut  6  or  7  feet  deep,  made  in  1866,  that  follows  the  vein 
about  50  feet,  and  shows  good  appearing  oxidized  ores.  The 
known  length  of  ore  shoot  disclosed  by  the  above  openings  is 
750  feet.  In  places  in  the  mine  there  are  found  lumps  of  verj^ 
rich  ore  ("nigger  heads"),  inclosed  in  talc.  From  the  first 
shaft  drifts  extend  both  east  and  west  for  45  feet,  making  a  total 
drift  length  of  90  feet.  Several  hundred  tons  of  ore  have  been 
extracted  and  shipped,  and  is  said  to  have  yielded  an  average 
of  15  per  cent  copper.  The  copper  belt  at  this  point  is  two 
miles  wide.  The  Painter  mine  is  on  the  east  side  and  the 
Heiskell  mine  on  the  west  side  of  the  belt.  There  are  a  few 
buildings  on  the  property,  such  as  assay  office,  boarding  and 
bunk  houses,  barn,  etc.     The  mine  is  now  idle. 

Fresno  Copper  Mines. — This  group,  formerly  known  as 
the  Heiskell,  consisting  of  five  full  claims,  is  owned  by  H.  B. 
Vercoe  et  al.,  H.  G.  \'ercoe  superintendent,  and  is  in  Sec.  10, 
T.  12  vS.,  R.  21  E.  The  course  of  the  vein  is  north  and  south, 
width  18  feet.  There  are  heavy  gossan  croppings.  The 
gossan  extends  downward  about  50  feet.  Below  these  gossan 
caps  are  bluish-black  sulphides.  The  mines  are  opened  by 
shafts,  two  of  200  feet  each  in  depth,  one  of  50  feet,  one  of  45 
feet,  and  one  of  35  feet.  Six  men  were  employed.  The  ores 
are  carbonates  and  oxides  above  and  sulphides  below,  and  the 
average  assay  value  of  the  ore  was  stated  to  be  7  per  cent 
copper  and  $2  in  gold. 

Copper  King"  Mine. — This  mine  is  in  Sec.  3,  T.  1 2 S.,  R.  23 E. 
It  is  owned  by  the  Copper  King  Mining  Company.  Ltd.,  of  Lon- 
don, of  which  \V.  H.  Daily  is  the  general  manager.  The  property 
consists  of  one  mining  claim,  1500  by  600  feet,  with  all  neces- 
sary' buildings  thereon.  The  vein  courses  northeast  and  south- 
west. That  portion  of  it  now  being  worked  is  from  2  to 
19  feet  in  width.  The  vein  matter,  however,  appears  to  have 
a  width  of  over  100  feet.  It  is  schistose  and  meta-diabase  in 
its  composition,  all  mineralized.  The  lenses  of  ore  consist  of 
carbonates,  oxides,  and  sulphides  of  iron  and  copper.  The 
sulphides  obtain  to  the  exclusion  of  the  others  in  the  deeper 


y. 

f. 


y. 

y. 


y. 

•2 


(i.'-'7> 


228  THE   COPPKR    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Avorkings  of  the  mine.  This  is  opened  by  three  shafts,  the 
deepest  of  which  is  used  for  operating  purposes  and  the  others 
for  ventilation  only.  The  first  named  shaft  is  450  feet  deep. 
From  the  400-foot  level  a  winze  is  being  sunk,  and  in  August, 
1 901,  was  down  30  feet  below  the  level.  Altogether  there  are 
six  levels  driven  from  the  operating  shaft,  with  total  lengths 
of  over  2500  feet.  As  said,  the  ore  bodies  are  in  the  form  of 
lenses.  The  usual  grano-diorite  belt  bounds  the  copper  belt 
to  the  east  and  diorite  lies  to  the  west. 

After  the  ore  has  been  hoisted,  crushed,  and  sampled  it  is 
conveyed  seventeen  miles  in  traction  wagons  to  a  siding  on  the 
Southern  Pacific  railway,  called  Deering.  Thence  it  is  trans- 
ported to  the  compa'nj-'s  smelter,  at  Seal  Bluflf  Landing,  on 
Suisun  Ba}^  near  Martinez,  and  there  reduced.  Power  for  all 
purposes  at  the  mine  is  generated  in  a  battery  of  boilers  by 
crude  petroleum,  transformed  into  electric  energy  by  a  com- 
pound engine  and  large  generator,  and  distributed  to  the  hoist, 
crusher,  belt  conveyor,  and  sampling  machine.  There  is 
besides  this  plant,  a  steam  air-compressor  for  operating  the 
drills  in  the  mine.  The  buildings  about  the  mine  are  good  and 
ample.  An  automatic  system  of  sampling  goes  on  during  the 
time  the  ore-bins  are  being  filled  with  crushed  ore.  The 
residual  sample  is  assa5'ed,  and  average  value  of  the  contents 
of  each  bin  is  thereby  shown.  From  these  bins  the  fine  ore  is 
subsequently  passed  to  square  iron  tanks  on  the  traction 
wagons.  Each  wagon  has  four  bins,  together  holding  more 
than  33  tons  of  ore.  Three  trains  drawn  by  traction  engines 
make  one  trip  a  day  to  Deering,  and  thus  daily  deliver  100 
tons  of  ore  to  the  cars  bound  for  the  smelter.  At  present,  the 
hoisting  equipment  is  equal  to  raising  200  tons  per  twenty- 
four  hours.  Water  for  all  purposes  at  the  mine  is  derived  from 
springs  and  from  the  mine  itself.  Seventy  men  are  employed 
about  the  mine  and  station.  The  general  manager  stated  that 
the  average  amount  of  copper  contained  in  the  shipping  ore 
was  about  7  per  cent. 

The  smelter  of  the  Copper  King,  Limited,  at  Seal  Blutl 
Landing,  on  Suisun  Bay,  is  forty  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
and  is  called  the  Pacific  Coast  Smelting  and  Refining  Works. 
The  location  affords  both  rail  and  deep-water  transportation 
facilities.  The  plant  has  been  in  full  operation  but  a  few 
months.     Extensive    buildings    and    modern  facilities  of  con- 


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SMKLTKR  OK  THK  Col'l'KK   KINC.   MMITKI).  AT  SKAI,   HI.II)-    LANDING, 

CONTRA  C<JSTA  COINTV. 


230  THK    COPPER    KKSOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

venient  arrangement  have  been  erected.  Electric  power 
generated  on  the  premises  with  oil  fuel  is  used.  The  ores  are 
classified  upon  their  arrival  at  the  smelter.  After  passing 
through  a  No.  3  Gates  crusher,  the  ore  is  conveyed  by  a  bucket 
elevator  to  the  rolls  and  trommel.  From  the  trommel  the  ore 
goes  to  two  50-ton  MacDougal  roasting  furnaces.  In  these 
furnaces  no  fuel  is  required,  the  burning  sulphur  in  the  ore 
supplying  the  necessary  heat.  From  the  roasting  furnaces  the 
ore  goes  to  a  lOO-ton  reverberatory  furnace  and  is  converted 
into  matte.  In  this  furnace  crude  petroleum  is  used  for  fuel. 
From  the  reverberatory  furnace  the  matte  is  tapped  imme- 
diately into  a  converter,  where  it  is  made  into  blister  copper. 
The  converter  slag,  carrj'ing  7  to  8  per  cent  copper,  is  returned 
to  the  reverberatory.  Additions  to  the  plant,  including  blast 
furnaces,  are  now  being  made,  and  when  completed  the  daily 
capacity  of  the  plant  will  be  300  tons.  Besides  treating  the 
ore  from  the  company's  mine  in  Fresno  County,  copper  ores 
are  sought  and  received  from  many  sources. 

Wabash  Mining  Co. — This  company  has  located  ground 
surrounding  the  Copper  King  mine  on  all  sides.  There  are 
two  shafts  on  this  property,  one  about  40  feet  deep,  on  which 
the  owners  were  making  preparations  to  erect  hoisting 
machinery.  The  other  shaft  is  over  30  feet  deep.  One  tunnel 
has  been  run  over  400  feet,  and  another  300  feet.  The  vein 
formation  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Copper  King.  These  mines 
may  be  described  as  now  being  in  the  stage  of  early  develop- 
ment. They  are  in  Sees.  2,  3,  10,  and  11,  T.  12  S.,  R.  23  E., 
and  are  owned  by  Dr.  Bryant  and  others  of  Eos  Angeles. 

Mount  Sterling. — Owned  by  Kneiper  &  Ashbrook,  and 
adjoining  the  Wabash  ground  on  the  south,  in  Sec.  10,  T.  12  S., 
R.  23  E.  On  this  property  the  owners  are  driving  a  tunnel  to 
cut  the  ledge,  which  is  mineralized,  carrying  iron  and  copper 
sulphides.     Developing. 

Grubstake  Claim.— Owned  by  C.  H.  Kneiper  and  —  Taylor; 
adjoins  the  Mount  Sterling,  and  shows  similar  copper  ore. 
Developing.  Southward,  the  indications  of  copper  ore  con- 
tinue to  Kings  River. 

Black  Mountain  Claim.— In  Sec.  36,  T.  1 1  S.,  R.  23  E.,  one 
and  a  half  miles  northeast  of  the  Copper  King:  owned  by 
W.  S.  Cranmer.     It  is  on  patented  land.     The  vein  is  in  lime- 


CONVi:kTi;K   ITKNACKS,   IN  ColKSI-;  01-    KKKCTHiN,  C<)I'1'1:K    KINC,   I.IMITKO. 
SHAI,   BLl'FK  LANDINC.  CONTRA  COSTA  COINTV 

(2:^1) 


232  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES    UK    CALIFORNIA. 

Stone  (calc  spar),  and  averages  about  3  feet  in  width.  This 
ore  is  .said  to  carry  15  to  19  per  cent  copper  and  $5  in  gold  per 
ton.  The  openings  comprise  a  shaft  30  feet  deep,  a  tunnel  run 
in  a  northeasterly  direction  along  the  course  of  the  vein  for  60 
feet,  and  another  tunnel  20  feet  below  the  first  named,  follow- 
ing the  vein  for  180  feet.  The  vein  splits  and  has  decidedly 
branching  tendencies.  At  the  mouth  of  the  180-foot  tunnel 
there  is  a  shaft  30  feet  deep  in  ore.  A  third  tunnel,  intended 
to  strike  the  vein  100  feet  below  the  bottom  of  this  30-foot  shaft, 
has  been  started.  It  is  now  in  125  feet.  Open  cuts  and  shal- 
low holes  on  the  surface  discover  the  same  quality  of  ore 
wherever  they  have  been  sunk.  The  ore  is  oxide  and  sulphide 
of  good  appearance.  •  The  east  wall  is  a  gray  diabase,  asso- 
ciated with  talc  schist.     Idle. 

Buck's  Peak  Claim. — Two  miles  south  of  Black  Mountain; 
owner,  W.  S.  Cranmer.  Shows  two  veins,  30  feet  apart,  one  of 
which  is  one  foot  wide  and  the  other  three  feet  wide.  A  shaft 
12  feet  deep  on  the  3-foot  vein  shows  green  carbonate  of  cop- 
per ore  for  the  whole  width  of  the  vein.     Idle. 

Sunset  Mine. — In  Sec.  35,  T.  11  S.,  R.  23  E.;  owners, 
D.  S.  Snodgrass  et  al.  There  are  gossan  croppings.  The 
ledge  matter  is  60  feet  wide.  The  ore  is  of  about  the  same 
character  as  that  in  the  Copper  King,  and  consists  of  carbon- 
ates and  sulphides.  There  is  a  shaft  90  feet  deep,  with  cross- 
cut at  its  bottom  60  feet  long,  all  in  ore,  which  is  said  to 
average  10  per  cent  copper  and  to  carry  about  $14  in  gold  per 
ton.  The  vein  matter  is  schistose  diabase.  A  belt  of  lime- 
stone occurs  in  the  east  side.     Idle. 

A.  L.  Hildebrand  has  locations  on  both  the  north  and  south 
ends  of  the  Sunset  claim.  On  these  locations  are  croppings  of 
the  same  character  as  on  the  Sunset.  Very  little  development. 
Idle. 

Henry  Wineberger  has  locations  on  the  northwest  side  of 
Hildebrand's  claim,  on  which  there  are  indications  of  copper. 
Idle. 

Happy  Camp  Claim. — Three  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the 
Copper  King  mine.  There  is  a  tunnel  135  feet  long,  with 
cross-cut  at  end  1 7  feet  long  from  wall  to  wall.  The  ore  is 
decomposed  quartz,  said  to  carry  4  per  cent  copper  and  $10  in 
gold.     Idle. 


TII.AKK    COINTV.  233 

W.  L.  Iliiikle  ^:  liros.  have  some  claims  in  Sees.  25,  26,  and 
27,  T.  12  S.,  R.  24  IC.,  that  show  copper  ore  in  talcose  schist. 
There  are  several  other  prosi^ects  near  by,  which  yield  copper 
minerals. 

Anderson  ^:  Oist  own  liltecn  claims  on  Hoj^  Mountain,  one 
and  a  half  miles  west  of  Trimmer  Springs,  in  Sees.  14,  15, 
23,  and  24,  T.  12  vS.,  R.  24  E.  Across  the  river  east  of  Trimmer 
Springs,  Mr.  Terrill  of  \'isalia  is  working  ten  claims  in  Sees. 
16  and  17  on  the  copper  belt,  with  some  favorable  prospects. 
These  claims  are  in  T.  12  S.,  R.  24  IC.  There  are  heavy  iron 
gossan  croppings  on  the  property. 

In  Kings  River  Canon,  high  in  the  Sierras,  in  Sees.  9  and  10, 
T.  13  S.,  R.  31  E.,  there  are  indications  of  copper  deposits. 
George  Badders  &  Co.  are  now  working  seven  claims,  in  which 
they  find  some  very  good  oxide  and  sulphide  ores.  They  had 
opened  a  shaft  30  feet  deep,  but  not  enough  development  work 
had  been  performed  to  determine  the  extent  or  value  of  these 
deposits.     The  vein  matter  is  mo.stly  tjuartz. 

P.  A.  Kanawyer  (S:  vSons  own  a  group  of  eight  claims  in 
Sec.  II,  T.  13  vS.,  R.  31  IC.  The  vein  matter  is  quartz,  with 
grano-diorite  walls.  The  vein  shows  6  to  15  feet  in  width, 
and  is  traced  for  two  miles.  It  carries,  according  to  informa- 
tion, over  10  per  cent  copper  and  $1 1  in  gold.  There  are  open 
cuts  and  a  perpendicular  clif?  100  feet  high;  the  clil^f  shows  the 
vein  in  its  face.  The  prospect  is  thirty-six  miles  from  Mill- 
wood.    Developing. 


TIL.VRl-  COrXTY 


A  large  area  of  the  Sierra  slope  is  comprised  within  the 
bounds  of  Tulare  County,  the  eastern  boundary  of  which  runs 
for  about  75  miles  along  the  range  summit  and  the  western 
portion  of  which  embraces  a  fertile  and  favored  .section  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley.  In  this  county,  in  the  Sierra  foothills,  is 
one  of  the  important  orange  districts  of  California,  and  here, 
also  in  the  valley  plain  below,  are  exten.sive  orchards  and 
•vineyards  as   well   as  many  great  grain  ranches.     This  is  one 


234  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

of  the    minor    mineral   counties  of  the   State,  thou^i^h    it    has 
extensive  mineral  resources  awaiting  the  future. 

In  this  county,  the  copper  belt  displays  but  occasional  indica- 
tions of  its  presence,  has  been  but  little  explored  and  only 
slightly  developed.  The  branches  into  which  the  belt  divides 
in  Fresno  County  appear  to  be  prolonged,  with  increasing 
divergence,  through  Tulare  County.  The  western  branch  is 
the  most  clearly  defined,  and  is  characterized  by  narrow 
diverging  seams  or  stringers  of  copper-bearing  minerals.  Just 
east  of  Porterville,  there  is  an  area  of  countrj-  fully  five  miles 
wide,  in  which  these  small  veins  occur.  Like  the  eastern 
branch  this  one  is  extensively  hidden  by  detrital  depo.sits,  and 
outcrops  only  at  intervals.  This  west  branch  appears  to  lose 
its  identity  and  disappear  near  Kernville,  in  Kern  County,  to 
the  south.  The  east  branch  of  the  belt  swings  easterly  and 
mounts  to  an  altitude  of  over  5000  feet.  The  chief  deposits 
identified  with  this  east  branch  are  near  the  middle  of  the 
county,  thirty  miles  or  so  east  of  Porterville  and  the  west  belt, 
and  amid  the  forest  region,  where  some  of  the  chief  sequoia 
groves  of  the  State  are  found.  Copper  prospects  of  possible 
future  value  occur  high  in  the  Sierras,  notably  some  described 
below,  located  close  to  Kearsage  Peak  in  the  extreme  north- 
eastern corner  of  the  county,  above  the  timber  line  and  at  an 
altitude  of  10,000  to  12,000  feet. 

W.  F.  Powell  owns  some  claims  in  the  east  branch  of  the 
copper  belt,  located  in  Sec.  30,  T.  19  S.,  R.  31  E.,  on  the  middle 
fork  of  Tule  River,  thirty  miles  east  of  Porter\'ille,  at  an 
altitude  of  about  5500  feet.  The  mineralized  zone  is  said  to 
be  300  feet  wide,  and  can  be  traced  by  surface  croppings  for 
more  than  six  miles  in  a  northerly  direction.  There  are  three 
tunnels,  one  cross-cutting  the  mineralized  rock  for  150  feet, 
without  reaching  a  wall.  The  cour.se  of  the  vein  is  northeast 
and  southwest.  The  copper  ores  are  yellow  and  black  sul- 
phides, carrying  3  to  4  per  cent  copper.  Occasionally,  however, 
small  quantities  of  native  copper  are  found.  The  vein  matter 
lies  between  a  limestone  east  wall  and  a  serpentine  west  wall. 

W.  F.  Grider  has  a  claim  two  miles  east  of  the  Enterprise 
sawmill,  in  Sec.  31,  T.  19  S.,  R.  31  E.  Some  test  lots  of  ore 
have  recently  been  shipped. 


C()rri;K  mointain  mimnc.  comtany  s  claims,  tii.akk  cointv. 


(235) 


236  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES    OK    CALIFORNIA. 

C.  W.  Keller  owns  claims  near  Powells,  in  the  same  town- 
ship and  range.  The  vein  matter  is  reported  to  be  not  less 
than  70  feet  wide  on  any  of  these  claims.  A  lime  belt  4  to  100 
feet  wide  intersects  the  copper  lode  near  these  places.  The 
copper  belt  crops  out  again  strongly  five  miles  above  Three 
Rivers,  and  there  are  several  locations  on  this  part  of  the  belt. 

East  of  Porterville,  ten  miles,  in  Sec.  14,  T.  23  S.,  R.  28  E., 
Dr.  Barber,  of  Porten-ille,  prospected  what  proved  to  be  a 
blanket,  or  slide,  of  ore  carrying  8  to  37  per  cent  copper. 
Idle. 

Dr.  Barber  also  has  a  claim  located  eight  miles  east  of 
Porterville,  in  Sec.  19,  T.  21  S.,  R.  29  E.  Undeveloped  to  any 
great  extent.  Here  there  is  a  heavy  iron  capping,  and  the 
vein  appears  to  be  20  to  30  feet  wide.  Below  the  iron  cap 
carbonate  and  oxide  of  copper  ore  is  found.  The  formation  is 
diaba.se  and  amphibolite  schist.  The  gold  content  is  reported 
at  from  $3  to  $4  per  ton.  ^ 

Dewey  Claim. — Owned  by  J.  F.  Boiler,  of  Porterville,  is  in 
Sec.  32,  T.  19  S.,  R.  31  E.  Only  a  small  amount  of  develop- 
ment has  been  performed.     This  exposes  sulphide  ore.     Idle. 

On  the  hillsides  east  of  Porterville  is  an  abundance  of  small 
pieces  of  copper  float,  which  doubtless  came  from  the  five-mile 
belt  of  small  stringer  veins  spoken  of. 

Copper  Mountain  Mining  Co. — Owns  fiftj-  claims  in 
Sees.  34  and  35,  T.  14  S.,  R.  31  E.,  near  Kearsarge  Peak, 
close  to  the  crest  of  the  range.  R.  McCourt  is  superintendent, 
and  J.  B.  Campbell,  of  Fresno,  president.  The  mines  were 
opened  in  July,  1900.  The  ores  are  sulphides  and  carbonates, 
carrying  from  2  to  25  per  cent  of  copper.  The  mineral-l)earing 
belt  is  a  mile  wide,  and  courses  northeast  and  southwest.  The 
deposit  in  the  richer  veins  of  this  belt  are  opened  by  a  shaft 
18  feet  deep,  a  tunnel  15  feet  long,  and  an  open  cut  50  feet 
long,  on  the  east  side  of  Roaring  River.  On  the  west  side 
there  is  an  old  shaft  and  drift,  shaft  30  feet  deep.  Develop- 
ments were  in  progress. 

At  the  head  of  Cloudy  River  Canon,  close  to  the  Copper 
Mountain  property,  there  are  some  cuts,  and  a  tunnel  40  feet 
long.     Quartz    shows   strongly  in   this   tunnel.     The   decom- 


KKRN    COl'NTY.  237 

posed  ironstone  carries  gold.  The  old  shaft  shows  a  3-toot 
ledge  of  carbonate  ore.  The  vein  matter  is  schist,  diabase, 
and  amphibolite.  The  claims  are  1000  feet  above  the  timber 
line.  A  dike  about  3000  feet  wide  passes  through  the  summits 
of  the  mountains.  This  dike  is  of  mineralized  rock.  Twenty- 
live  men  were  employed  in  development  work. 


KliRX  CorX'IY 


The  foothill  copper  belt  terminates  in  a  vague  way  in  Kern 
County,  where  a  few  groups  of  copper  deposits  cut  a  small 
figure  among  the  varied  mineral  products  of  a  great  mining 
countv.  This  is  one  of  the  large  counties  of  the  State,  having 
an  area  of  about  Si 00  square  miles,  and  it  is  characterized  by 
greater  variety  and  contrasts  of  topography,  geology,  climate, 
and  resources  than  any  other  county  of  the  State. 

Its  eastern  and  southern  parts  contain  the  southern  end  of 
the  Sierra   Nevada   range   and   its  mergence   with   the   Coast 
Range    at    Tehachapi.      Its   western    boundary    is    along   the 
summit  of  the  Coast  Range,  and  the  upper  end  of  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley  makes  up  about  one  third  of  the  county's  area. 
The  southeastern  slope  of  the  Sierras  and  a  large  portion  of 
the   Mojave   Desert   are   included   in   its   southern   part.     The 
county  thus  includes  slopes  of  two  mountain  ranges,  a  large 
and  fertile  valley  plain,  and  an  arid  desert  region.     All  of  these 
contrasted    regions    contain    much    mineral   wealth.      On   the 
Sierra  slope,   amid   forests  and  waters,   are   important  ([uartz 
mining  districts.     In  the  valley  plain,  near  Bakersfield.  is  the 
remarkable   and  widely  known   Kern   River  oil-field.     On  the 
eastern  .slope  of  the  Coast  Range  are  the  Sunset  and  McKittrick 
oil-fields,  which  help  make  Kern  the  preeminent  petroleum- 
producing  county  of  California.     The  foothills  of  both  these 
ranges  abound    in    various  minerals,   including   gypsum   and 
antimony.     In  the  desert  region  of  the  county  is  the  Rands- 
burg  district,  one  of  the  chief  gold  fields  of  the  State,  and  other 
gold  districts  are  undergoing  development  on  the  desert  side 
of  the  Sierras.     The  mineral  output  of  the  county  in  1900  was 
$1,867,856,  of  which  $805,252  was  in  gold.     In  the  San  Joaquin 


238  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES    OK    CALIFORNIA. 

Valley  are  extensive  orchards  and  the  largest  irrigation 
systems  in  the  State.  The  Kern  River,  of  the  vSierra  slope, 
furnishes  power  for  one  of  the  important  electric  power  trans- 
mission plants  of  the  State. 

The  copper  occurrences  are  so  few  and  widely  separated,  as 
far  as  di.scovered,  that  one  is  hardly  warranted  in  identifying 
them  with  the  copper  belt,  except  in  the  most  general  way. 
The  continuity  of  the  belt  is  less  apparent  than  in  any  of  the 
counties  of  the  slope  to  the  north.  Copper  deposits  have 
attracted  attention  principall>-  in  three  localties:  Near  Woody 
and  quite  a  distance  east  near  Kernville,  on  the  western  Sierra 
slope;  in  the  Rademacher  mining  district,  on  the  southeastern 
slope  of  the  Sierras;. and  on  the  northern  edge  of  the  Mojave 
Desert,  north  of  Randsburg.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Walker's 
Pass,  between  Kernville  and  the  Rademacher  district,  copper 
minerals  are  found,  and  the  copper  claims  of  the  latter  district 
maj',  perhaps,  be  appropriately  classed  with  the  Sierra  Nevada 
deposits  rather  than  with  those  of  the  arid  portion  of  Southern 
California. 

Greenback  Copper  Mine. — Located  in  northern  Kern 
County,  about  thirty-live  miles  by  wagon  road  from  Bakers- 
field  and  about  eighteen  miles  due  east  of  Jasmin,  on  the 
Porterville  branch  of  the  vSouthern  Pacific  Railroad.  The 
property  of  the  Greenback  Copper  Company  consists  of 
Sees.  I  and  3,  and  the  southern  part  of  Sec.  2,  T.  26  S., 
R.  29  E.,  embracing  in  all  1520  acres.  The  mine  lies  on  a 
slight  elevation  in  a  basin,  the  rock  forming  which  is  grano- 
diorite.  The  granite  is  intersected  by  a  parallel  sj'Stem  of 
joints  or  fractures,  which  usually  trend  approximatel}'  east 
and  west.  In  addition,  there  are  very  abundant  dikes  of  a 
white,  fine-grained  granite  (aplite)  in  the  coarse  granite  or 
grano-diorite.  They  are  from  a  fraction  of  an  inch  to  10  feet 
in  width.  There  are  also  white,  coarse,  pegmatite  dikes,  or 
veins  in  the  granite,  and  some  of  these  are  developed  sporad- 
ically as  bunches  of  white  quartz  ("bull"'  quartz).  Copper 
has  been  found  at  a  number  of  points  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  the  lodes  are  usually  more  or  less  parallel  to  the  structure 
planes  of  the  inclosing  rocks,  but  this  is  not  the  case  with  the 
Greenback  lode,  the  general  trend  of  which  is  across  the  east- 
west  fracture  system  of    the  grano-diorite.     About  one  mile 


KERN    COUNTY — COPPKR    MINES    AM)    CLAIMS. 


239 


southwest  of  the  mine  lies  a  hij;h  cast-west  ridge  known  as 
Iron  Mountain.  The  upper  part  of  this  ridge  is  composed  of 
a  variety  of  rocks,  some  of  which  strongly  resemble  quartzite, 
but  the  slopes  of  the  mountain  are  all  of  granitic  rocks. 
There  are  several  cuts  and  shafts  on  the  top  of  the  mountain 
in  the  hard  quartzite-like  rock,  but  no  strong  indications  of 
copper  appear  to  ha\e  been  found,  except  on  the  north  slope, 
just  west  of  the  line  of  .section  3,  and  on  the  south  slope  of 
the  east  end  of  the  mountain,  where  some  work  is  now  being 


ORKKXB.\CK  COPPEK   MINK.    KIvKN   COrNTV. 


done  on  a  copper  lode.  vSeveral  claims  are  located  on  this 
lode.  At  most  of  the  points  where  copper  has  been  found,  the 
lode  at  the  surface  is  composed  of  a  gossan  of  rusty  iron- 
stained  material,  often  apparently  rotten  granite,  generally 
somewhat  gnei.ssic  and  not  always  showing  copper  carbonate. 
The  croppings  of  the  Greenback  lode  consist  of  altered  granite, 
decomposed,  and  impregnated  with  iron  oxide  and  at  some 
points  with  copper  carbonate,  and  there  is  more  or  le.ss  quartz 
mixed  with  it.  The  Greenback  lode  has  been  opened  by  a 
shaft  which  inclines  to  the  north  about  60  degrees,  and  from 


240 


THK   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


_     ^      _     \     /    -"    \''    ^    GPANITIcCouNTHr  ROCK^  /       ^^—      ^- 


this  shaft  three  levels  have  been  run  to  the  north,  which  are 
vertically  below  the  croppings,  respectively,  95,  135,  and  185 
feet.  The  upper  part  of  the  main  ore  shoot  is  composed  of 
carbonate  ore,  and  has  not  been  stoped  out;    but  from  a  point 

about  65  feet  below 
the  croppings  to  a 
point  170  feet  below, 
this  ore  shoot  has 
afforded  nearh-  all 
the  ore  that  has  thus 
far  been  shipped,  the 
reported  average  con- 
tents being  5. 7  ounces 
of  silver  and  19.4  per 
cent  of  copper  jier 
ton.  As  seen  in  the 
cross-section,  the  ore 
shoot  is  lenticular  in 
form,  with  a  maxi- 
mum width  of  about 
20  feet.  Outside  of 
this  ore  shoot  the 
granite  is  irregular- 
ly impregnated  with 
copper  pyrite,  so  that 
there  is  a  much  larger 
amount  of  lower 
grade  ore  in  the  mine 
than  of  shipping  ore.  The  Greenback  lode  does  not  appear  to 
show  any  well-defined  fi.ssure.  While  there  are  walls  and 
seams  along  which  movement  has  taken  place,  and  these 
usually  have  a  trend  to  the  east  of  north,  yet  these  walls  and 
seams  appear  to  dip  both  to  the  east  and  west  at  high  angles. 
As  indicated  by  the  croppings,  the  lode  may  be  said  to  have  a 
length  of  perhaps  350  feet  measured  from  the  south  base  of 
the  dump  to  the  old  shaft  on  the  top  of  the  hill.  The  position 
of  the  new  185-foot  level  is  shown  in  the  cross-section,  but  there 
is  no  data  at  hand  as  to  the  width  or  grade  of  the  ore  bodj'  on 
this  level. 

A.  J.  Maltby  owns  two  claims  in  Sees.  4  and    10,  T.  26  S., 
R.    29   K.     Here   there    are  gossan   croppings   and   schistose- 


/_ 
I 


^ ^ ^ i~ ~- ''  s\ 

-■■  iiaSFoOTLtVEL.'v^^-    '-/     \     \    Is 


Vertical  Section  Through  Stope  in  Greenb.ack 
Copper  Mine. 


KERN    COrNTY a^PI'KK    MINKS    AND    CLAIMS.  241 

diabase  vein  matter,  as  well  as  talcose  schist.  There  are  open 
cuts  exposing  ore.  Two  shafts,  i6  and  35  feet  deep,  are  in 
ore.  There  has  been  shipped  some  ore  said  to  average  about 
6  per  cent  in  copper  and  a  small  amount  of  gold. 

The  Spa  and  Bonanza  claims,  in  Sees.  3,  4,  9,  and  10,  T.  26  S., 
R.  29  E.,  show  copper  ore  reported  to  average  from  15  to  20  per 
cent.  There  are  four  shafts  on  these  claims.  On  section  9 
heavy  ironstone  croppings  can  be  traced  for  considerable 
distances.     Idle. 

South  of  Kernville.  in  T.  26  S.,  R.  23  K.,  J.  L.  Hooper  is 
making  developments  that  show  some  copper. 

J.  R.  Manning  of  Randsburg  is  one  of  the  owners  of  a  group 
of  copper  claims  in  Sees.  7,  iS,  19,  and  30,  T.  28  S.,  R.  40  E., 
and  in  Sees.  12,  13,  and  24,  T.  28  S.,  R.  39  E.,  in  the  Rade- 
macher  district  near  the  eastern  county  boundary,  in  the 
Mojave  Desert.  The  belt  here  is  one  and  a  half  miles  wide. 
Grano-diorite  lies  contiguous  to  the  east,  and  on  the  west  there 
is  a  lime  belt.  The  lode  is  formed  of  a  mineralized  meta- 
diaba.se  schistose,  changed  in  part  to  talcose  schist.  The  seams 
of  richer  copper  ore  run  from  2  to  12  inches  in  width,  and 
where  they  form  lenses  or  "shoots"  they  have  widths  occa- 
sionally of  60  feet.  These  lenses  of  highly  mineralized  rock 
constituting  the  ore  carry  a  good  percentage  of  copper. 
Development  was  in  progress. 

Near  the  Manning  claims  is  the  Gallow  Glass  group,  in 
which  the  gossan  croppings  are  60  to  100  feet  wide  and  the 
magnetite  from  5  to  15  feet  wide.  There  are  thirty-seven 
mining  locations  on  this  part  of  the  belt.  There  are  .several 
open  cuts,  one  shaft  54  feet  deep,  and  fourteen  other  shafts  from 
6  to  12  feet  deep.  The  belt  can  be  traced  by  croppings  and 
cuts  for  four  miles  in  a  northwesterly  direction  to  where  it 
disappears  under  the  detritus  of  the  desert.  The  line  of 
demarcation  between  the  lime  and  copper  belts  can  be  noted 
for  miles.  There  is  no  available  fuel  at  hand,  but  six  miles  to 
the  southwest  there  is  an  extensive  vein  of  coal  now  being 
worked.  Water  in  abundant  quantities  can  be  obtained  by 
sinking  shallow  wells  in  a  wide  area  of  this  country. 

The  road   from   Randsburg  to  the  south  fork  of  the  Kern 
River  through   Walker's    Pass   diagonally  crosses  the  copper 
belt,  which  also  crops  in  T.  27  S.,  R.  38  and  39  E. 
16— BuL.  23 


SOUTHERN  AND  EASTERN  DEPOSITS. 


MONO  COUNTY. 


About  loo  miles  of  the  ea.stern  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
range  stretches  through  Mono  County,  which  lies  between  the 
jagged  crest  of  the  Sierras  on  the  west,  Nevada  on  the  east, 
and  Alpine  and  Inyo  counties  on  the  north  and  south  respect- 
ively. The  county. displays  high  ranges  parallel  with  the 
Sierras  and  is  a  part  of  the  Great  Basin.  The  county  is  a 
rugged,  arid,  almost  treeless  region,  remote  from  railroad 
communication,  except  in  the  southeastern  corner,  which  is 
traversed  by  the  Carson  &  Colorado  Railroad.  Mono  Lake, 
which  has  no  outlet,  is  a  large  expanse  of  saline  waters.  There 
are  many  thermal  springs,  and  widespread  evidences  of 
volcanic  and  glacial  action. 

The  county  is  richly  mineralized,  and  has  produced  many 
millions  in  the  precious  metals.  In  1900  it  yielded  $670,200 
in  gold  and  $75,921  in  silver.  It  has  a  number  of  well-known 
mining  districts,  particularly  the  famous  Bodie  District,  in 
which  quite  extensive  mining  operations  have  been  conducted 
in  the  past;  but  the  conditions  above  noted,  the  base  character 
of  the  ores,  and  some  large  mining  failures,  consequent  on 
incompetent  or  dishonest  administration,  have  worked  a  long 
repression  of  the  industry.  The  extent  and  richness  of  the 
mineralized  veins  make  it  certain  that  the  future  will  see  Mono 
one  of  the  leading  mineral-producing  counties  of  the  State. 
The  base  ores  that  fill  the  mountain  slopes  very  frequently 
carr>'  copper  in  association  with  other  minerals,  and  some 
attempts  at  mining  copper  have  been  made  in  the  past  and 
abandoned.  One  small  copper  smelting  plant  produced  $60,000 
worth  of  ingot  copper  many  years  ago.  Only  two  copper 
properties  attract  present  attention  as  such.  They  are  on 
Copper  Mountain  16  miles  southwest  of  Bodie,  and  about  4 
miles  from  the  west  shore  of  Mono  Lake.  The  nearest  rail- 
road station  is  60  miles  from  Copper  Mountain,  at  Hawthorne, 
Nevada,  on  the  Carson  &  Colorado  Railroad. 


MONO  COrNTV — INYO  corxTY.  243 

Santiago,  Cuba,  and  Havana  Claims. — Owned  l)y 
E.  M.  Ca\in,  of  Bodie.  Located  on  Copper  Mountain.  They 
haYe  been  dcYeloped  to  some  extent  hy  a  150-foot  shaft,  show- 
ing good  ore,  and  by  about  500  feet  of  tunneling,  but  this  last 
work  was  not  done  to  adYantage.  The  deposit  is  found  on 
the  contact  of  limestone  and  porphyry.  The  ore  is  principally 
cuprite  and  malachite.  The  width  of  the  deposit  has  not 
been  determined.  A  small  furnace  was  once  erected  and  some 
ore  treated,  but  the  property  is  idle  at  present.  Water  power 
is  aYailable,  and  there  is  an  abundance  of  timber  in  the  region, 

Goleta  Consolidated  Mines. — The  Goleta  mines  are  also 
on  Copper  Mountain.  Hugh  W.  Nelson,  of  Jordan,  is  super- 
intendent. This  group  is  jirimarily  a  gold  mine,  but  there  is  in 
it  a  copper  ledge  which  is  expo.sed  on  the  hanging  wall  side  of 
the  gold  ledge.  DcYelopments  haYe  expo.sed  a  Ycin  of  copper 
ore  aYeraging  6  feet  in  width,  the  ore  appearing  to  be  chryso- 
colla.  There  is  a  tunnel  200  feet  on  the  Yein,  tapping  it  300 
feet  below  the  outcrop.  The  copper  is  not  being  mined,  as  the 
mines  are  at  pre.sent  worked  only  for  the  gold  and  sih-er.  The 
ore  is  treated  by  the  cyanide  process,  a  40-stamp  mill  being 
used  to  crush  the  ore.     Water  power  is  u.sed. 


INYO  corxTV. 


Inyo  County  is  a  great  and  picturesque  expanse  of  desert, 
10,000  square  miles  in  extent,  lying  between  the  summit  of  the 
Sierras  on  the  west,  NcYada  on  the  east.  Mono  County  on  the 
north,  and  San  Bernardino  County  on  the  south.  On  its  west- 
ern boundary  rises  Mount  Whitney  (14,515  feet),  the  highest 
peak  in  the  United  vStates  proper,  and  about  75  miles  eastward 
lies  Death  Valley,  the  lowest  part  of  which  is  OYcr  400  feet 
below  sea-leYel.  At  the  foot  of  the  vSierra  range  is  Owens 
Lake,  fed  by  Owens  River  and  having  no  outlet.  vSoda  is 
largely  produced  from  the  waters  of  this  lake.  Practically  all 
the  arable  land  is  comprised  in  a  strip  of  bottom  land,  2  to  3 
miles  wide,  through  Owens  River  Valley,  which  has  a  width 
of   8  to  10  miles.     The  Carson  &  Colorado  Railroad,  running 


244  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

southward  to  Keeler  on  Owens  Lake  in  the  west-central  part 
of  the  county,  largel)'  relieves  the  handicap  of  remoteness  from 
which  the  county  suffers. 

Lack  of  fuel,  water,  facilities  for  communication,  ana  con- 
venient sources  of  supply  join  with  an  unfavorable  climate  to 
repress  the  mining  industry  generally  throughout  the  south- 
western desert  region,  but  the  great  extent  and  frequent  rich- 
ness of  the  mineral  resources  of  Inyo  Count}'  have  made  it  one 
of  the  important  mining  counties  of  the  State  since  early  days. 
The  Panamint,  Argus,  and  Inyo  ranges  and  some  lesser  ones 
run  parallel  with  the  Sierras  through  the  southern  part  of  the 
county,  and  from  the  ledges  that  fill  them  the  bulk  of  the 
^12,000,000  worth  of- precious  metals  Inyo  has  produced  has 
come.  Some  of  the  rich  mines  of  the  west  were  operated  in 
various  well-known  districts  years  ago.  The  ores  of  this 
region  are  base  and  a  large  percentage  of  silver  accompanies 
the  gold,  while  lead,  copper,  and  other  metals  are  al.so  char- 
acteristically associated  with  the  precious  metals.  This  county 
has  been  the  chief  silver  producer  of  the  State,  and  the  drop 
in  the  price  of  silver  was  the  main  cause  of  the  quietude  of  the 
mining  industry  here  in  recent  years.  During  the  past  two  or 
three  years  much  active  development  has  followed  several 
large  investments,  and  here,  as  elsewhere  through  that  desert 
region,  prospectors  have  again  turned  numerously  to  a  field 
full  of  great  possibilities.  The  expected  provision  of  railroad 
facilities  through  the  southern  portion  of  the  county  will  afford 
another  great  stimulus  to  mining  activity,  as  heretofore  only 
high-grade  ores  could  be  worked.  The  precious  metal  output 
in  1900  was  $213,655  in  gold  and  $113, 493  in  silver.  In  Death 
Valley  is  one  of  the  chief  borax  fields  of  the  United  States. 
Marble  of  fine  quality  is  among  the  mineral  resources  awaiting 
favorable  conditions,  and  extensive  deposits  of  nitrate  of  soda 
have  been  found. 

There  are  numerous  occurrences  of  copper,  generally  in 
association  with  greater  values  in  other  metals,  but  it  is 
occasionally  the  predominating  metal  in  ore  bodies.  Some 
copper  ore  carrying  gold  and  silver  was  smelted  to  matte  and 
shipped  via  the  Colorado  River  in  early  times,  but  the  copper 
output  has  been  small.  With  cheaper  fuel  and  transportation 
facilities  modern  smelting  plants  will    be  established  in    this 


INYO    COINTV COIM'KK    MINKS    AND    CLAIMS.  '24o 

region    and    then    copper  will    likely   again    figure    in    Inyo's 
mineral  output. 

Wisconsin  Claim. — This  prospect  is  located  about  a  mile 
southeast  of  Darvvin,  and  is  owned  by  Charles  Richardson  of 
Dar\vin.  The  vein  is  a  contact  between  limestone  and  granite. 
The  ledge  varies  from  2  to  6  feet  in  thickness  and  is  exposed  on 
the  surface  for  .several  hundred  feet.  There  is  a  shaft  about 
150  feet  deep,  with  good  ore  in  the  bottom.  The  ledge  shows 
malachite,  chalcopyrite,  and  cuprite,  carrying  some  gold  and 
silver.  The  nearest  point  to  a  railroad  is  Keeler,  twenty-four 
miles  distant.     Developing. 

Kingman  Claim. — James  McDonald  of  Darwin,  owner. 
There  are  two  claims  located  one  mile  .southeast  of  Darwin. 
The  ledge  is  a  contact  vein  between  limestone  and  granite,  and 
the  average  width  of  the  vein  is  about  3  feet.  There  are  two 
tunnels,  each  in  about  a  hundred  feet.  The  ledge  shows 
malachite,  chalcopyrite,  and  cuprite,  carrying  some  gold  and 
silver.     Developing. 

Ubehebe  District. — The  Ubehebe  copper  belt  is  located 
about  thirty-five  miles  east  of  Keeler,  the  terminus  of  the 
Car.son  &  Colorado  Railroad.  There  are  about  eighty  claims, 
located  within  a  radius  of  six  miles.  The  ore  is  found  in  con- 
tact veins,  between  granite  and  limestone.  There  appears  to 
be  two  contacts,  an  east  and  a  west,  and  the.se  contacts  can  be 
traced  for  twelve  miles  at  altitudes  ranging  from  3000  to  6000 
feet.  The  ores  are  in  limestone.  Carbonate  ore  (malachite) 
apparently  prevails,  although  gray  copper,  cuprite,  chalcopyrite, 
bornite,  and  native  copper  are  abundant.  The  ores  have  also 
gold  and  silver  values.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  ore  bodies 
are  in  limestone,  and  that  the  deposits  are  situated  in  a  locality 
where  water  is  not  encountered  in  mining  exploitation,  it  is 
probable  that  the  malachite  will  continue  to  prevail  even  as 
the  depth  increases.  Asses.sment  work  has  been  performed 
and  some  development,  with  a  result  most  encouraging. 

Navajo  Chief  Claim. — Owners,  W.  T.  Grant  of  Olancha  and 
George  McConnell  of  Independence.  It  is  located  one  quarter 
of  a  mile  south  of  Dodd's  vSprings.  Elevation,  4000  feet.  The 
vein  outcrops  for  about   1000  feet,  showing  an  average  width 


246  THK    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CAI^IFORNIA. 

of  50  feet,  and  with  a  strike  north;  dip  80  degrees  east.  The 
hanging  wall  is  limestone  and  the  foot  wall  granite.  The  ore 
is  chiefly  malachite,  carrying  some  gold  and  silver.  There  is 
sufficient  water  for  mining  purposes.  The  nearest  railroad 
point  is  Keeler,  thirt\'  miles  distant. 

Eureka  Claim. — Owned  b}-  Jacob  Stininger;  postoflfice 
address,  Tule  Canon.  California.  It  is  located  one  eighth  of  a 
mile  south  of  Dodd's Springs;  elevation,  3500  feet.  The  strike 
of  the  vein  is  north,  and  dip  60  degrees  to  the  east.  The  crop- 
pings  show  a  length  of  150  feet,  and  an  average  width  of  5  feet. 
There  is  an  80- foot  shaft  and  100  feet  of  drifts  on  the  vein. 
The  ore  is  malachite -and  shows  some  galena. 

Trail  Claim. — Owners,  W.  T.  Grant  of  Olancha  and  George 
McConnell  of  Independence.  It  is  located  at  Dodd's  Springs; 
elevation,  3900  feet.  The  vein  has  a  strike  north;  dip  70 
degrees  to  the  east.  It  outcrops  about  800  feet,  and  shows  an 
average  width  of  5  feet. 

Dodd's  Springs  Claim. — Owned  by  W.  T.  Grant  of  Olancha 
and  George  McConnell  of  Independence.  This  mine  is  located 
on  the  same  ledge  as  the  Trail  claim.  It  outcrops  for  1000  feet 
and  shows  a  vein  about  15  feet  wide.  The  character  of  the 
ore  is  malachite. 

Ulida  Group. — This  group  includes  eight  prospects:  The 
Ulida,  vSorbia,  Sardine,  H.  M.  Stanley,  Kabba  Riga,  Virginia, 
Maryland,  and  Hunter,  located  in  the  Button  range,  three 
miles  north  of  Hunter  Ranch  Mountain,  and  thirty-five  miles 
east  of  Keeler.  Elevation,  6000  feet.  The  nearest  water  is 
three  miles  distant,  and  could  be  obtained  by  gravity.  All  of 
the  veins  are  contacts  between  limestone  and  granite.  The  ore, 
which  occurs  mostly  in  the  limestone,  is  malachite,  tetrahe- 
drite,  and  cuprite,  carrying  gold  and  silver.  Immense  out- 
croppings,  varying  from  10  to  20  feet  in  width  and  showing 
malachite,  are  exposed. 

At  the  Ulida  there  is  a  tunnel  150  feet  on  the  vein,  and 
another  tunnel  above,  150  feet  long,  runs  for  40  feet  on  the 
vein.  There  has  been  some  stoping  done,  and  about  400  tons 
of  ore  are  on  the  dump.  The  ore  is  sorted,  packed  out  on 
mules    seven    miles    to    a    road,   then    hauled    to    Keeler    and 


ckoi-riNcs  ()}•■  coi'i'KK  KiNC  mini:.  I  hi;iikhk  district.  INYo  COINTV 


COPPER  CROPPINGS  AT  DODDS  SPRINGS,  rBKHKHK  DISTRICT.   INYO  COUNTY 

(247) 


248  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OK    CALIFORNIA. 

shipped  to  the  smelter.  Developing.  Owners,  Spear  Bros, 
and  William  L.  Hunter;  postoffice  address,  Lone  Pine,  Inyo 
County. 

Adjoining  the  Ulida  group  on  the  northeast  are  the  Keeler, 
the  Olancha,  and  the  Spear,  owned  by  McConnell  &  Spear. 
There  is  no  development  on  the.se  claims,  but  the  outcroppings 
are  similar  to  those  of  the  Ulida  group. 

Copper  Knife. — Located  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  the 
Randolph  racetrack;  owners,  W.  T.  Grant  of  Olancha  and 
George  McConnell  of  Independence.  There  is  no  develop- 
ment. The  ledge  outcrops  about  800  feet,  and  shows  a  width 
of  10  feet.     The  ore  is  malachite. 

Star.— Owned  by  W.  A.  Sanger  &  Son,  Big  Pine,  Cal.  The 
prospect  is  located  at  the  base  of  the  Ubehebe  Mountain ;  the 
strike  of  the  vein  is  north.  There  is  a  60-foot  cut,  6  feet  deep, 
showing  malachite.  The  ore  outcrops  800  feet  on  the  strike 
and  shows  a  width  of  60  feet. 

Copper  King. — It  is  located  one  mile  west  of  the  Star; 
owner,  \V.  A.  Sanger,  Big  Pine.  The  ledge  shows  on  the  sur- 
face a  width  of  100  feet  and  a  length  of  700  feet.  There  is  a 
shaft  60  feet  deep  and  a  20-foot  drift,  showing  malachite. 
Idle. 

Bluejay. — Owned  by  A.  Mairs,  of  Independence.  It  is 
located  on  the  east  side  of  Saline  Valley.  The  outcroppings 
show  a  ledge  60  feet  wide,  and  may  be  traced  500  feet  on  the 
surface.  There  is  a  tunnel  in  100  feet,  a  winze  35  feet  deep, 
and  a  cross-cut  25  feet.     The  ore  is  malachite.     Idle. 

Anton  &  Pobst  Claims. — These  mines  include  five  claims, 
located  sixteen  miles  east  of  Keeler.  The  claims  show  out- 
croppings 100  feet  wide,  800  feet  in  length,  on  the  strike  of  the 
vein.  The  ore  is  chiefly  malachite.  There  is  a  tunnel  about 
20  feet  long,  in  good  ore.  Owners,  John  Anton  and  David 
Pobst,  of  Lone  Pine,  Cal. 

Silver  Hill. — This  claim  is  located  seven  miles  east  of 
Independence,  and  one  half  mile  from  the  Carson  &  Colorado 
Railroad;  elevation,  4500  feet.  Owner,  J.  C.  Roeper,  of  Inde- 
pendence.    There  is  a  70-foot  tunnel,  showing  a  2)^ -foot  vein 


SAN    HKRXAkDINO   COUNTY.  249 

of  malachite.  The  vein  is  a  contact  between  granite  and  lime- 
stone. There  is  plenty  of  water  for  mining  and  reduction 
purposes.     Developing. 

Green  Monster.— Owner,  D.  C.  Riddell.  of  (;ilro\ ,  Cal. 
This  is  a  continuation  of  the  Silver  Hill  i)rospect.  Develop- 
ment consists  of  a  3C)o-foot  tunnel  and  two  cross-cuts,  one  80 
feet  and  the  other  50  feet.  .Some  good  copper  ore  has  been 
exposed. 

Copper  Tail. — J.  C.  Roeper,  owner.  This  claim  adjoins  the 

Green  Monster.     It  has  a  40-foot  shaft  in  the  ore  body.     The 

ledge  is  4  feet  wide  at  the  surface,  but  pinches  at  the  bottom 
of  the  shaft. 

Copper  Point. — Owner,  Max  Fausel;  located  one  mile 
northeast  of  the  Green  Monster.  It  has  a  lo-foot  shaft  in  good 
ore.  The  vein  shows  a  width  of  2  feet,  and  an  outcrop  of  al)out 
500  feet  on  the  surface.  It  is  a  contact  vein  between  granite 
and  limestone.     The  ore  is  malachite. 


SAX  H1:R.\ARI)IX()  COUNTY. 


Southeast  of  the  terminus  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountain 
range  is  the  vast  expanse  of  the  Mojave  Desert,  a  rugged, 
desolate  region,  filled  with  mountain  groups  and  ranges  and 
characterized  by  a  lack  of  almost  e\ery  natural  condition 
favorable  to  the  operations  of  the  prospector  and  miner,  but 
one  throughout  which  nature  has  lavishly  distributed  mineral 
riches  in  exceptional  variet}'.  Copper  is  one  of  the  minerals 
thus  widely  distributed  here,  but  its  innumerable  occurrences 
are  generally,  as  far  as  explored,  in  quantities  too  small  for 
commercial  exploitation. 

The  largest  portion  of  the  Mojave  Desert  is  included  within 
the  bounds  of  San  Bernardino  County,  which  is  the  largest 
county  in  the  State.  In  the  southwestern  portion  is  a  region 
unrivaled  for  beauty  of  fruits  and  flowers,  fertile  and  charming 
valleys,  and  rich  orange  groves.  Eastward  from  this  Eden,  for 
about  150  miles  to  the  Colorado  River,  and  northward  for  75 


250  thp:  copper  resources  of  California. 

miles  to  Inyo  County,  stretch  the  forbidding  wastes  that  com- 
pose the  most  of  San  Bernardino  County.  It  is  in  the  little 
southwestern  corner,  where  sheltered  valleys  open  to  the  sea, 
that  the  population  and  developed  wealth  of  the  county  are 
mainly  concentrated,  and  it  is  by  this  corner  that  San 
Bernardino  is  chiefly  known  to  the  world. 

The  rest  of  the  county  is  ruled  by  the  miner.  Pro.spectors 
have  persistently  explored  its  desolate  and  dangerous  fast- 
nesses for  two  generations  and  brought  to  general  knowledge 
a  mineral  empire  which  capital  is  slowly  possessing.  There 
are  few  long  well-defined  belts  or  lodes,  the  multitudinous 
mineral -bearing  veins  coursing  in  all  directions  and  l^eing 
generally  and  irregularly  distributed.  There  is  a  number  of 
well-known  mining  districts  scattered  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  county,  where  concentrations  of  mineral  values 
have  occasional  important  developments,  and  in  which  well- 
knowm  mines  flourish.  The  metalliferous  ores  carried  by  the 
veins  are  nearly  always  base.  Gold  is  the  dominant  metal  pro- 
duced, but  with  a  more  favorable  market  for  silver,  the  latter 
would  probably  assume  first  importance.  In  1900  the  gold 
output  was  $247,949  and  that  of  silver  $172,759.  The  county, 
however,  displays  a  greater  variety  of  mineral  products  than 
any  other  county  in  the  State.  In  its  northern  portion  are 
inexhaustible  deposits  of  borax,  the  chief  present  mineral 
product  of  the  county,  the  output  of  which  in  1900,  refined  and 
crude,  was  valued  at  about  $1,000,000.  The  only  tin  mine  of 
the  State  was  operated  in  this  county  a  few  years  ago.  In 
this  county  is  an  exceptionally  large  and  rich  deposit  of  iron 
ore  awaiting  conditions  favorable  to  its  exploitation.  One  of 
the  county's  mineral  products  is  turquoise,  of  which  $20,000 
worth  was  mined  in  1900.  At  Colton,  Portland  cement  is 
made.  Among  other  minerals  are  lead,  salt,  soda,  antimony, 
sulphur,  asbestos,  onyx  (aragonite),  lime,  granite,  and  marble. 
There  has  been  much  recent  activity  in  various  gold  mining 
districts.  The  county  is  crossed  by  the  main  line  of  the 
Santa  Fe  Railroad,  and  branch  roads  reach  different  parts  of 
the  county.  The  Southern  Pacific  road  runs  through  and 
near  the  southwestern  portion. 

While  the  occurrences  of  copper  ore  are  frequent  and  wide- 
spread, there  are  yet  but  few  mines  or  prospects  worthy  of 
particular  note,  or  which   attract  present  attention.     But,  as 


SAX    BERNARDINO   COrNTY COPPKR    CLAIMS.  251 

with  other  resources  of  this  great  mineral  field,  there  has  been 
but  a  small  beginning  made  in  the  prosi^ecting  and  developing 
of  the  copper  stored  in  these  rugged  wastes,  though  there 
is  a  great  number  of  more  or  less  promising  copper  claims 
showing  superficial  development. 

The  Copper  World  is  the  chief  developed  and  producing 
mine  in  the  county.  It  is  equipped  with  a  smelting  plant.  A 
few  years  ago  considerable  high-grade  ore  was  shipped  to 
Swansea  from  the  Tiptop  mine  in  the  Lava  Beds  district,  a 
silver  mine  in  which  bunches  of  rich  copper  ore  were  found 
along  fault  planes  in  the  country  rock.  This  ore,  after  con- 
centration by  jigging,  yielded  33  per  cent  of  copper  and  15 
ounces  of  silver  per  ton.  The  prevalent  copper  ores  of  this 
region  are  carl)onates  and  oxides,  and  characteristically  occur 
in  irregularly-shaped  masses,  frequently  in  association  with 
limestone  formations.  This  county  holds  second  rank  as  a 
copi:>er  producer.     The  output  in    1900  was   1,920,000  pounds. 

New  York  Group. — Contains  nine  claims,  and  lies  five 
miles  southwest  of  Manvel,  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the 
county.  There  is  very  little  development  and  the  ore  is  low 
grade.     Owner,  George  Burch. 

Von  Trigor  Group. —Six  claims  in  the  Exchequer  mining 
district.  vSecs.  16  and  17.  T.  1 1  N.,  R.  18  E.,  at  the  eastern  side 
of  the  county.  One  of  the  claims  is  opened  by  a  tunnel  30  feet 
long,  all  in  ore.  The  ore  is  oxide,  said  to  carry  7.6  per  cent 
copper,  $3.96  in  gold,  and  2''^  ounces  in  .silver  per  ton.  The 
gossan  croppings  are  wide,  with  east  and  west  .strike.  The 
claims  are  about  two  miles  from  the  railroad,  and  the  Colorado 
River  is  about  eighteen  miles  east  of  the  group.  Elevation, 
1800  feet.     Owner,  A.  M.  Williams.  San  Franci.sco. 

Copper  Mountain  Mining  Co. — This  company,  of  which 
W.  A.  Cooper  of  San  Bernardino  is  president,  owns  a  group  of 
ten  claims  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county,  four  and  a 
half  miles  northeast  of  Victor  and  four  miles  east  of  Oro 
Grande.  The  Copper  King  claim  shows  gossan  croppings  200 
feet  wide.  The  ore  is  sulphide,  said  to  go  8  to  10  per  cent 
copper  and  some  carbonate.  The  hanging  wall  of  the  vein  is 
limestone.  The  mine  is  opened  by  a  shaft  200  feet  deep  on 
the  vein,  but  no  walls  are  exposed.     This  mine  was  first  opened 


252  THK  coppp:r  resources  of  California. 

twenty-eight  years  ago,  and  then  closed  down,  in  which  con- 
dition it  remained  until  recently,  when  it  was  re-opened  and 
re-prospected.  Of  the  other  claims.  Amazon  No.  i  is  opened 
by  a  shaft  60  feet  deep,  with  a  drift  to  the  west  48  feet,  and  a 
drift  to  the  north  45  feet.  The  strike  of  the  vein  on  all  the 
claims  is  east,  with  a  northerly  dip  of  about  60  degrees.  The 
croppings  are  limonite.  The  vein  is  highly  mineralized,  with  a 
fair  grade  of  copper-bearing  material  interspersed.  A  heavy 
quartzite  dike  follows  the  vein  on  one  side.  The  ore  is 
reported  to  assay  10  per  cent  copper,  and  a  fair  amount  of  gold 
and  silver.  The  Hecla  mine  is  opened  by  three  shafts,  30  to 
40  feet  deep.  The  Queen  is  opened  by  a  cut  100  feet  long,  and 
from  15  to  25  feet  wide,  running  diagonally  across  the  forma- 
tion, and  exposing  three  different  veins,  one  of  which  is  12  feet 
wide.  The  ore  is  sulphide.  The  other  mines  of  the  group 
show  good  copper  indications.  Further  extensive  developments 
are  under  consideration. 

Rose  Mine. — In  Morongo  district,  45  miles  southeast  of 
Victor;  elevation,  7000  feet;  strike  northwest,  with  a  dip  of 
30  degrees.  The  ore  carries  copper,  gold,  and  silver.  The 
vein  is  pockety,  with  walls  of  limestone.  There  is  a  shaft 
1000  feet  deep,  a  tunnel  500  feet  long,  and  about  2000  feet  of 
other  developments.  Reduction  works  are  on  the  ground, 
and  about  30  hands  are  employed.  The  total  output  of 
copper,  gold,  and  silver  has  been  about  $150,000.  The  prop- 
erty is  worked  as  a  gold  mine  primarily.  The  copper  occurs 
in  bunches  in  the  vein  and  is  sorted  out  and  shipped  to  a 
smelter  in  relatively  small  quantities.  The  gold  ore  is  reduced 
in  a  stamp  mill.     Owned  by  R.  S.  Grant,  of  Victor. 

Camp  Vera  Group. — Contains  thirty  claims,  all  lying  in 
the  Morrow  raining  district,  about  twenty-five  miles  north  of 
Barstow,  and  six  miles  northeast  of  Lane's  Mills;  elevation, 
3725  feet.  A  mineralized  belt  consisting  of  ironstone  rock, 
running  through  the  county  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  is 
jmrtly  covered  by  these  claims.  The  belt  varies  in  width 
from  50  to  500  feet  and  can  be  traced  for  ten  miles.  About 
twenty  shafts,  10  to  60  feet  deep,  have  been  sunk  near  the  belt. 
They  all  show  ore  containing  considerable  copper  oxide,  and 
other  forms  of  copper  mineralization.  Open  cuts  have  been  made 
in  other  places  near  the  belt,  showing  copper  minerals.     These 


SAN    BKRXARDINO    COl'NTV — COPPKR    CLAIMS.  253 

shafts  and  cuts  are  not  on  the  mineralized  lielt,  but  are  to  the 
west  of  it  a  few  hundred  yards,  and  show  that  the  copper 
dejK)sits  have  a  general  dip  toward  the  belt.  A  sample  of  six 
tons  of  ore  was  shipped  to  a  smelter  and  is  reported  to  have 
given  returns  of  i8  per  cent  copper  and  $4  in  gold.  Ironsides 
No.  I,  of  this  group,  is  oi-)ened  by  a  shaft  100  feet  deep,  which 
follows  a  streak  of  highly  oxidized  mineral,  varying  from  8 
inches  to  2  feet  in  width,  which  at  the  bottom  of  shaft  shows 
an  impregnation  of  copper  in  the  form  of  a  rather  unique 
crystallization.  The  west  wall  is  well  defined,  and  is  of  a 
granitic  character.  The  owner  of  the  Camp  Vera  group  is 
\V.  J.  Rodgers,  of  Barstow. 

Juanita. — This  claim  is  in  the  Morrow  mining  district, 
twenty-six  miles  east  of  Johannesburg.  Gossan  croppings, 
varving  from  2  to  12  feet  in  width,  appear  on  this  claim,  and 
extend  beyond  its  limits  for  a  distance  of  over  two  miles. 
Beneath  them  the  deposits  of  ore  carrying  copper  are  found  to 
widen  out  as  development  proceeds.  The  hanging  walls  are 
granite,  and  the  foot  walls  limestone.  There  are  three  veins 
about  30  feet  apart  covered  by  this  claim.  One  shaft  is  212 
feet  deep,  two  are  60  feet,  and  one  is  40  feet  deep.  At  190 
feet  on  the  212-foot  .shaft  a  cross-cut  has  been  run,  but  it  does 
not  reach  either  wall.  The  ore  is  said  to  go  17  per  cent  in 
copper  and  $3  in  gold.  The  vein  matter  is  of  a  talcose  nature 
carrying  copper  sulphides  throughout.  Owner,  Union  Develop- 
ment Company  of  Boston. 

Juanita  Group. — Besides  the  Juanita  mine,  there  are  141 
other  claims,  constituting  what  is  called  the  Juanita  group. 
Among  these  claims,  those  having  the  mo.st  notable  develop- 
ment are  the  Henrietta.  Lookout,  and  Big  Three.  The  Henri- 
etta is  opened  by  a  shaft  52  feet  deep,  drift  28  feet  long,  and 
a  winze  from  its  end  10  feet  deep.  The  character  of  the  ore  is 
oxide.  The  width  is  undetermined.  The  ore  is  said  to  assay 
14  per  cent  copper,  $12  in  gold  and  2  ounces  of  silver  to  the 
ton.  The  Lookout  claim  is  opened  by  a  tunnel  30  feet  long, 
striking  a  vein  of  carbonate  ore  about  3  feet  in  width,  said  to 
contain  32  per  cent  copper  with  no  gold  or  silver.  The  foot 
wall  is  porphyry,  with  intrusions  of  limestone.  There  are 
eighty-six  other  shafts  on  the  group,  attaining  depths  of  from 
20  to  30  feet,  showing  veins  of  oxide  ores  from  2  to  40  feet  in 


254  THK    COPPER    RKSOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

width,  said  to  a\erage  7  per  cent  copper,  $4  in  gold,  and  3 
ounces  of  silver.  The  Big  Three  claim  is  opened  by  a  shaft 
77  feet  deep. 

Copper  World. — This,  the  only  important  producing  cop- 
per mine  in  Southern  California  and  the  only  one  possessing 
reduction  works,  is  in  Clark  Mountain,  Clark  mining  district, 
thirty-seven  miles  northwest  of  Manvel,  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  the  county,  and  at  an  elevation  of  5300  feet.  The  mine 
has  displayed  large  bunches  of  oxide  ore  in  porphyry  and  lime- 
stone formations,  averaging  12  to  15  per  cent  in  copper.  The 
property  has  been  opened  by  about  3000  feet  of  shaft  and 
tunnels,  the  shaft  reaching  to  a  depth  of  420  feet.  At  Valley 
Wells,  five  miles  from  the  mine,  is  the  reduction  plant,  which 
includes  a  50-ton  water-jacket  furnace  erected  over  two  years 
ago  and  which  has  recently  remained  idle,  owing  both  to 
a  re-organization  of  the  company  and  to  the  cost  of  transpor- 
tation to  and  from  the  railroad  at  Manvel,  supplies,  including 
coal  from  New  Mexico  for  the  smelter,  having  to  be  hauled 
thirt}'  miles  by  wagon.  The  railroad  has  been  recently 
extended  to  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  mine,  and  operations 
are  again  active.  The  mine  is  reported  to  produce  50  tons  of 
smelting  ore  per  day.  The  property  has  been  operated  by  the 
Ivanpah  Smelting  Compan}-  of  Los  Angeles,  which,  it  is  stated, 
is  to  be  succeeded  by  the  Copper  World  Mining  Company. 
It  is  stated  that  the  total  marketed  product,  amounting  in 
value  to  about  $325,000,  has  more  than  paid  the  cost  of 
development  and  plant.  George  D.  Copeland,  secretary, 
Wilcox  Block,  Los  Angeles. 

Lytle  Creek  Mine. — It  lies  twenty  miles  northwe.st  of  San 
Bernardino,  and  has  been  worked  for  the  past  twenty  years. 
It  contains  bunches  of  high-grade  copper  ore. 

The   Peacock,   or   Lava  Beds,   Mining   District. — One 

hundred  miles  east  of  San  Bernardino,  in  the  .south-central  part 
of  the  county.  It  contains  some  claims  with  go.ssan  croppings 
undeveloped,  that  show  indications  of  copper  ores. 

Ord  Copper  Group. — This  group  consists  of  twenty-three 
claims  in  Ord  Mountain,  fourteen  miles  south  of  Daggett.  The 
strikes  are  nearly  north  and  east.  The  deposits  carry  copper 
and  gold,  the  former  largely  predominating,  except  in  a  few 


RIVKRSIDK    COUNTY.  255 

places.  The  iiKiin  vein  is  ulx)Ut  three  miles  long  and  averages 
about  20  feet  wide.  The  hanging  wall  is  granite  and  the  foot 
wall  decomposed  i>orph>r>-.  The  ore  is  copper  carbonate  and 
sulphide.  A  shaft  154  feet  deep  and  a  tunnel  400  feet  long, 
with  about  1000  feet  of  other  development  work,  constitute  the 
openings.  Several  of  the  claims  are  patented.  Osborne  & 
Drew,  of  Daggett,  owners. 

About  forty  miles  northeast  of  Whitewater  Station,  on  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  in  Riverside  County,  is  a  group 
of  claims  located  in  the  Copper  Mountains,  a  small  group 
oH  the  San  Bernardino  range,  just  west  of  the  Twenty-nine 
Palms  district.  Owner,  H.  R.  Hudspeth,  of  Los  Angeles. 
The  claims  are  on  a  lode  crossing  the  principal  lodes  of  the 
country.  The  deposit  is  between  lime  and  por]>liyr}-.  The 
copper  is  in  the  form  of  cuprite  and  chrysocolla.  On  the  out- 
crop the  mineralized  zone  is  about  250  feet  wide.  The  develop- 
ment consists  of  shafts,  drifts,  and  cuts,  and  a  tunnel  105  feet 
long. 

About  three  miles  north  of  Klinefelter  Station  is  a  mine 
owned  by  Lewis  &  Shafer,  displaying  a  vein  from  3  to  6  feet 
wide,  between  massive  slate  and  granite  and  porphyry  walls. 
The  ore  is  stated  to  bear  20  per  cent  of  copper  associated  with 
gold.  A  shaft  has  been  sunk  to  a  depth  of  75  feet  and  a  tunnel 
driven  50  feet,  with  about  100  feet  of  other  development  work. 


RIVERSIDE  COrXTY. 


Riverside  County  comprises  a  wide  strip  of  territory  stretch- 
ing across  the  desert  region  of  the  southeastern  part  of  the 
State  from  the  boundary  at  the  Colorado  River  westward 
to  a  terminus  on  the  Pacific  slope.  In  this  county  is  the  San 
Bernardino  range,  which  separates  the  Mojave  and  Colorado 
deserts,  and  the  county  thus  includes  portions  of  ])oth  these 
arid  wastes.  The  western  jiortion  has  become,  with  irrigation, 
one  of  the  chief  garden  spots  of  Southern  California,  and  the 
orange  groves  and  floral  wealth  of  this  region  have  spread  afar 
the  fame  of  Riverside's  glory. 


256  THE   COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Topographically,  geologically,  and  mineralogically  the  desert 
region  of  Riverside  resembles  that  of  San  Bernardino  County 
to  its  north.  Mineral  wealth  is  similarly  distributed,  though 
the  mining  industry  is  of  smaller  relative  importance.  There 
has  been  much  recent  activity  in  the  prospecting  and  develop- 
ment of  several  districts,  chiefly  in  respect  to  gold.  Among 
the  varied  minerals  which  are  widely  distributed  over  the 
county  and  which  will  be  the  basis  of  a  great  future  mineral 
industry  are  silver,  coal,  salt,  pottery  clay,  asbestos,  marble, 
granite,  etc.  Copper  is  of  wide  occurrence  in  association  with 
gold  and  silver  ores,  and  a  number  of  properties  have  received 
superficial  development,  but  none  have  yet  assumed  importance 
as  producers.  The  -Southern  Pacific  Railroad  crosses  the 
county  diagonally,  giving  fairly  convenient  access  to  several 
mineral  districts.  The  southern  boundary  of  the  county  runs 
through  the  depression  known  as  Salton  Lake,  the  lowest  part 
of  which  is  275  feet  below  the  level  of  the  sea. 

Orphan  Boy  Mines. — They  are  in  the  Palen  Mountains, 
about  two  miles  south  of  Packard's  Well,  Ironwood  district. 
Elevation,  1850  feet.  There  are  three  claims  in  this  group. 
The  minerals  are  copper,  gold,  and  .silver,  and  the  mineralized 
zone  is  about  100  feet  wide,  dipping  southwardly.  The  country 
rock  is  porphyry.  There  are  three  open  cuts  and  a  shaft  8 
feet  deep  revealing  good  ore.  Assays  are  reported  to  show 
more  than  30  per  cent  copper.  The  hanging  wall  is  limestone 
or  granular  gypsum,  dipping  about  50  degrees.  There  is  con- 
siderable massive  epidote  on  these  claims.  Owner,  P.  W. 
McGrath,  Los  Angeles. 

Palen  Copper  Mines. — Located  on  the  west  side  of  Palen 
Mountains,  about  ten  miles  east  of  Palen  Wells.  The  char- 
acter of  the  ore  is  copper,  gold,  and  silver.  The  vein  matter 
is  about  50  feet  wide.  The  country  rock  is  quartzite  and  por- 
phyry. Five  shallow  shafts  have  been  excavated,  which  show 
good  ore  averaging  about  30  per  cent  copper.  There  are  two 
claims— The  Copper-Silver  Glance  and  The  Ophir.  The 
former  is  located  on  a  spur  of  Palen  Mountains  in  a  caiion 
coming  in  from  the  east.  It  is  about  250  feet  above  the  creek 
bed  and  2100  feet  above  .sea-level.  There  are  eight  cuts  and 
prospect   holes  in  this  spur,  all  yielding  copper.     The  ledge 


KIVKKSIDK    COINTV — COPI'KR    CLAIMS.  257 

lies  suitable  for  tjuarrviiiK.     vSaiulstone,  qiiartzite,  and  graiui- 
lite  are  the  country  rock.     Owiilt,  H.  Ci.  Adams,  Los  Angeles. 

Homestake  Group. — There  are  five  claims  in  this  group, 
located  on  the  east  side  of  I'alen  Mountains,  about  eight  miles 
northwest  of  McCoy  Sjirings,  at  an  elevation  of  1600  to  2350 
feet,  and  ])ut  three  or  four  miles  from  the  Orphan  Hoy  and 
Ophir  mines  on  the  opposite  .side  of  the  mountains.  The  five 
claims  are  on  the  same  ledge,  and  carry  copper,  gold,  and 
silver.  The  width  of  the  ledge  matter  is  20  to  50  feet,  and  it 
yields  co])]K>r-silver  glance,  azurite,  and  malachite.  The  devel- 
opment work  consists  of  two  shallow  shafts  and  three  open 
cuts.     Owners,  Adams  <S:  Creasinger,  Los  Angeles. 

Mountain  King  Group— Consists  of  three  claims  located 
on  the  east  side  of  McCoy  Mountains.  The  strike  is  northwest 
and  southeast,  and  the  dip  northeast.  The  ore,  which  is 
azurite  and  malachite,  contains  copi>er,  gold,  and  silver.  The 
deposit  is  in  ledge  form,  the  vein  matter  being  about  30  feet 
wide.  .\  shaft  40  feet  deep  has  been  sunk,  and  four  open  cuts 
have  been  made,  all  revealing  good  ore.  The  country  rock  is 
porphyry  and  quartzite.  The  mine  is  easily  accessible.  Eleva- 
tion, i.Soo  feet.     Owners,  Adams  &  Creasinger,  Los  Angeles. 

Randolph  &  Hamilton  Claims. — Consist  of  two  groups 
and  .seven  claims  in  ,Santa  .Maria  Mountains.  The  deposits 
consist  of  copper  and  chromic  iron,  and  some  gold,  at  an 
elevation  of  about  1750  feet.  A  shaft  21  feet  deep  has  been 
sunk  and  four  or  five  cuts  made.  The  copper  value  is  about 
7  or  S  per  cent.  Iron  largely  predominates.  There  is  much 
limestone  as  country  rock,  and  some  porphyry.  Owners, 
Randolph  &  Hamilton,  Ivhrenberg,  Arizona. 

Anderson  Claims — There  are  twenty-six  claims  in  this 
group,  located  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county.  The  .strike 
is  northwest.  The  ore  carries  copper  with  a  little  silver,  and 
the  veins  vary  from  2  to  6  feet  in  width.  The  hanging  wall  is 
granite.  A  shaft  .So  feet  deep  has  been  sunk  and  a  tunnel  100 
feet  long  driven,  with  considerable  other  development  work  in 
shafts,  etc.     Six  men  were  employed.     Anderson  &  Co.,  owners. 

17— Bl-l.  23 


258  THE    COPPER    RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

'"Badger  State"  Group. — Ten  claims  located  in  the 
McCoy  Mountains,  about  twenty  miles  west  of  the  Colorado 
River.  The  ore  contains  copper,  gold,  and  silver.  There  are 
a  vast  number  of  stringers  from  6  inches  to  4  feet  wide.  The 
walls  are  porphyry  and  limestone,  granite  being  the  country 
rock.  There  is  also  much  iron  in  these  claims.  About  300 
feet  of  development  work  has  been  done  in  open  cuts,  shallow 
shafts,  etc.,  which  reveal  good  ore.  The  present  owner  is 
S.  P.  Creasinger,  of  Los  Angeles. 

Fluor  Spar  Group. — This  group  of  three  claims  is  in  the 
Palen  Mountains,  one  mile  southwest  of  Packard's  Well, 
Iron  wood  district.  '  The  ledge  matter  is  about  100  feet  wide, 
and  strikes  northeast  and  southwest.  The  ore  contains  copper, 
gold,  and  silver.  The  country  rock  is  largely  porphyry  and 
limestone.  The  copper  represents  azAirite,  malachite,  etc.,  and 
some  red  oxide.  There  are  two  open  cuts  penetrating  the 
mountains  20  feet  or  more.  Elevation,  1800  feet.  The  group 
is  owned  by  Jacob  Berge.  The  mine  contains  much  fluor  spar, 
Iceland  spar,  and  limpid  quartz.  The  ore  lies  suitable  for 
quarrying. 

The  Ironwood  or  McCoj-  Mountain  district  contains  a  highly 
mineralized  zone  of  copper,  silver,  gold,  and  lead  ores.  High- 
grade  sulphide  deposits  are  known  to  exist,  principally  in 
the  form  of  kidneys.  Besides  these,  native  copper  is  occa- 
sionally met  with.  The  di.strict  is  twenty-two  miles  from  the 
Colorado  River,  and  ore  has  been  shipped  by  that  route  to 
reduction  works. 

In  the  Shadow  Mountain  district  there  are  localities  showing 
gold,  copper,  and  lead  ores.  The  copper  ores  are  malachite 
and  oxides 

Vulture  Crag. — The  property  is  in  the  western  part  of  the 
county,  fourteen  miles  east  of  Capistrano,  in  Trabucco  Canon. 
There  was  not  sufficient  development  to  determine  the  extent 
of  the  deposit.  In  an  8-foot  tunnel  a  ledge  over  4  feet  in  width 
has  been  exposed.  The  ore  is  chiefly  chalcopyrite,  and  the 
croppings  may  be  traced  for  several  miles.  A.  B.  Jopliu,  of 
Santa  Ana,  owner. 


SAN    OIKGO  cnrxTv.  259 

SAX  DIl-GO  CUIXTV. 


San  Diego  County  stretches  from  the  Pacific  shore  to  the 
Colorado  River,  entirely  across  the  southern  end  of  California. 
The  lower  western  slope,  near  the  sea,  is  a  populous,  rich,  and 
fertile  region,  famed  for  its  climate,  scenery,  and  productions. 
Back  from  the  shore,  mountains  mark  the  eastern  limit  of  fer- 
tility and  beauty  and  the  western  limit  of  the  expanse  of  arid 
mountain  and  valley  composing  the  Colorado  De.sert  and  much 
the  larger  portion  of  the  county's  big  area.  In  these  mountains 
near  the  coast  are  various  minerals,  such  as  characterize  the 
upper  part  of  Lower  California,  and  mineral  wealth  is  widely 
distributed  throughout  the  county  eastward  to  the  Colorado 
River.  In  the  Colorado  Desert  this  county  holds  the  larger 
part  of  the  valley  traversed  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad, 
in  which  is  found  Salton  Lake,  that  dry  basin  nearly  300  feet 
below  sea-level.  Rugged  and  desolate  mountains  fill  most  of 
the  desert  area,  and  among  them  the  persistent  prospector  and 
the  enterprising  mining  capitalist  have  established  several 
important  mining  districts  and  developed  some  of  the  leading 
gold  mines  of  the  vState.  Copper  minerals  occur  in  association 
with  the  ores  of  other  metals  quite  extensively  throughout  the 
county  and  especially  in  the  eastern  part  near  the  Colorado 
River,  but  no  copper  deposits  worthy  of  note  as  such  have  been 
developed  in  the  desert  region.  The  two  prospects  noted  below 
are  near  the  coast  and  are  not  to  be  associated  with  those  of  the 
arid  region  farther  east. 

Danes  Lea  Mining  Co. — The  mines  of  this  company  are 
located  near  the  coa.st  eight  miles  east  of  Encinitas,  in  T.  13  S., 
R.  3  \V.,  vS.  B.  M.  The  development  con.sistsof  two  shafts  200 
feet  apart  and  a  tunnel.  One  of  the  shafts  is  down  280  feet 
and  the  other  100  feet.  The  shafts  are  sunk  in  the  ore  body, 
the  ledge  being  about  3  feet  wide  in  a  porphyry  formation. 
The  ore  is  chalcopyrite,  averaging  a  fair  percentage  of  copper. 
A  twelve-horse-power  gasoline  hoist  has  been  installed.  The 
company  intend  to  erect  a  concentration  plant  as  soon  as  the 
developments  will  justify  the  expenditure  and  to  ship  the  con- 
centrates to  a  smelter.  In  the  group  there  are  twenty  claims, 
all  showing  copper  in  the  croppings.  \V.  H.  Mackinnon  of 
Encinitas  is  manager,  and  W.  C.  Harland  of  San  Diego, 
president. 


260  THK    COPPER    RESOrRCKS    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Barona  Copper  Claims. — Thi.s  property  i.s  located  thirty- 
five  mile.s  northea.st  of  San  Diego  and  twelve  miles  northeast 
of  Lakeside,  in  T.  14  S.,  R.  i  E.,  S.  B.  M.  The  nearest  point 
on  the  Cuyamaca  Railroad  is  six  miles  distant.  The  develop- 
ment consists  of  two  25-foot  shafts  and  two  25-foot  cross-cnts 
in  the  ore  body.  The  ledge,  about  20  feet  wide,  is  mineralized 
throughout,  and  copper  croppings  are  exposed  for  about  150 
feet  in  length  on  its  strike  and  where  developments  have  been 
performed.  The  ore  is  principally  chalcopyrite  and  black 
oxide  of  copper.  It  assays  about  8  per  cent  copper  and  carries 
$1.50  in  gold  and  <S  ounces  of  silver  per  ton.  The  ledge,  a 
schistose  quartz,  i^  in  granite.  T.  J.  Daley,  of  San  Diego, 
owner.     The  claim  is  idle. 

In  the  eastern  portion  of  the  county  bordering  the  Colorado 
River  many  small  stringers  of  high-grade  copper  ore  have 
been  found.  The  development  upon  them,  however,  is  very 
limited. 


LOS  ANGELES  O  )r\TY 


With  the  exception  of  petroleum,  mineral  products  play  a 
relatively  small  part  in  the  prosperity  and  greatness  of  Los 
Angeles  County,  which  reaches  eastward  from  the  sea  in  the 
most  favored  portion  of  Southern  California,  which  is  far-famed 
for  its  climate  and  the  wealth  and  beauty  of  its  orange  gro\es 
and  luxuriant  gardens,  and  which  posses.ses,  in  the  City  of 
Los  Angeles,  the  metropolis  of  this  large  section  of  the  State. 
There  are  three  rich  oil-fields  in  the  county,  tho.se  of  the  City 
of  Los  Angeles,  Whittier,  and  Puente.  The  petroleum  output 
in  1900  was  1,722,887  barrels,  and  oil  refineries  produced  a 
large  amount  of  asphaltum. 

North  and  east  of  the  fertile  valley  regions  of  the  county,  in 
its  northern  and  eastern  parts,  is  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
Mojave  De.sert,  similar  in  character  to  the  de.sert  regions  of  the 
adjoining  counties  of  Kern,  San  Bernardino,  and  Riverside. 
In  this  region  placer  gold  was  mined  before  Marshall  made  his 
discovery  in  1848,  and  ever  since  then  placer  mining  opera- 
tions have  been  continued  on  a  small  scale.  A  few  valuable 
quartz  mines  have  been  developed.     Copper  was  noted  and  a 


LOS    ANC.KMCS    COINTV — CoiTHK    CLAIMS.  2G1 

little  ore  mined  near  vSoledud  Pass  before  the  American  occupa- 
tion. The  copper  deposits  which  have  receixed  recent  attention 
are  all  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county,  near  and  nortli- 
east  of  Acton,  in  Soledad  Pass,  on  the  edge  of  the  Mojave 
De.sert. 

Palm  Development  Co. — This  company  has  superficially 
developed  some  claims  located  twenty-three  miles  northeast 
of  Acton  and  three  miles  southeast  of  Little  Rock  Creek,  in 
Sec.  30,  T.  5  X..  R.  10  \V.,  vS.  H.  M.  The  ore  is  found  in 
dcjiosits  in  a  jjorphyritic  dike,  wliich  averages  iSo  feet  in 
width.  The  mineralized  zone  may  be  traced  for  one  and  a 
half  miles.  Three  shafts  have  ])een  sunk,  12,  70,  and  125  feet 
deep  respectively.  While  some  ore  was  encountered  in  these 
shafts,  they  failed  to  show  an\-  defined  ledge  or  continuous 
deposit.  The  ore  is  chiefly  malachite  and  carries  gold  and 
silver.  The  mines  have  been  lea.sed  to  Messrs.  iClliot  & 
Leavitt,  who  have  erected  a  leaching  plant.  It  was  their 
intention  to  extract  the  ore  by  surface  workings,  but  in  the 
midst  of  their  operations  the  water-supph-  gave  out  and  con- 
se(|uently  work  was  suspended  until  more  water  could  be 
oI)tained.  E.  M.  Ross  and  Joseph  H.  Call,  of  Los  Angeles, 
owners. 

An  extension  of  the  claims  of  the  Palm  Development  Com- 
pany, on  which  no  development  has  been  made,  is  owned  by 
William  M.  \'aii  I)\k;e,  of  Los  Angeles. 

Free  Cuba. — Located  a  half  mile  .south  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  station  at  Acton.  This  mine  was  first  worked 
about  forty-five  years  ago,  and  aliandoned.  The  old  shaft  has 
been  cleaned  out,  and  at  the  bottom,  200  feet  from  the  surface, 
samples  of  native  copper  were  found.  A  quartz  ledge  in 
granite  is  23  feet  wide,  but  the  values  are  found  in  only  about 
5  feet  of  it.  A  hoisting  plant  was  to  be  erected  and  the  mine 
thoroughly  prospected.  Twelve  men  were  employed.  Ira  L. 
Hou.ser,  of  Acton,  owner. 

Mooney  &  Williams  Claim. — Located  two  miles  .south  of 
Acton.  A  crew  was  developing  the  property,  and  in  the 
tunnel  .some  fair  copper  ore  had  been  encountered.  The  char- 
acter of  the  ledge  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Free  Cuba.  Further 
development  is  necessary  to  determine  the  extent  of  the 
deposit.     Mooney  &  Williams,  of  Acton,  owners. 


■f. 
y. 


■f. 


(262) 


A  F  P  E  N  O  I  X 


CALiroRXIA  STATl-  MIXIXC.  lU'RliAl 


This  institution  aims  to  l)e  the  chief  source  of  reliable  infor- 
mation about  the  mineral  resources  and  minini;  industries  of 
California. 

It  is  encouraged  in  its  work  ]jy  the  fact  that  its  pu])lications 
have  been  in  such  demand  that  large  editions  are  soon  ex- 
hausted. In  fact,  copies  of  them  now  command  high  prices  in 
the  market. 

The  publications,  as  soon  as  issued,  find  their  way  to  the 
scientific,  public,  and  private  libraries  of  all  countries. 

STATE    MINERALOGIST. 

The  California  State  Mining  Bureau  is  under  the  supervision 
of  Hon.  Lewis  E.  Anbury,  State  Mineralogist.  It  is  supported 
by  legislative  appropriations,  and  in  some  degree  performs  work 
similar  to  that  of  the  geological  surveys  of  other  states;  but  its 
purposes  and  functions  are  mainly  practical,  the  scientific  work 
being  clearly  subordinate  to  the  economic  phases  of  the  mineral 
field,  as  shown  by  the  organic  law  governing  the  Bureau,  which 
is  as  follows: 

Skc.  4.  It  shall  he  the  duty  of  said  State  Mineralogist  to  make,  facili- 
tate, and  encourage  special  studies  of  the  mineral  resources  and  mineral 
industries  of  the  State.  It  shall  be  his  duty:  To  collect  statistics  con- 
cerning the  occurrence  of  the  economically  important  minerals  and  the 
methods  pursued  in  makinj?  their  valuable  constituents  available  for 
commercial  use;  to  make  a  collection  of  typical  geoloj^ical  and  miner- 
alogical  specimens,  especially  those  of  economic  or  commercial  impor- 
tance, such  collection  constituting  the  Museum  of  the  State  Mining 
Bureau;  to  provide  a  library  of  books,  reports,  drawings,  bearing  upon 
the  mineral  industries,  the  sciences  of  mineralogy  and  geology,  and  the 
arts  of  mining  and  metallurgy,  such  library  constituting  the  Library  of 
the  State  Mining  Bureau;  to  make  a  collection  of  models,  drawings,  and 
descriptions  of  the  mechanical  appliances  used  in  mining  and  metallur- 


2r)4  CALIFORNIA    STATK    MININf.    lU'REAr. 

}<ical  processes;  to  preserve  and  so  maintain  such  collections  and  library 
as  to  make  them  available  for  reference  and  examination,  and  open  to 
public  inspection  at  reasonable  hours;  to  maintain,  in  efiect,  a  bureau  of 
information  concerning  the  mineral  industries  of  this  State,  to  consist  of 
such  collections  and  library,  and  to  arrange,  classify,  catalogue,  and  in- 
dex the  data  therein  contained,  in  a  manner  to  make  the  information 
available  to  those  desiring  it,  and  to  provide  a  custodian  specially  quali- 
fied to  promote  this  purpose;  to  make  a  biennial  report  to  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  Mining  Bureau,  setting  forth  the  important  results  of  his 
work,  and  to  issue  from  time  to  time  such  bulletins  as  he  may  deem  ad- 
visable concerning  the  statistics  and  technology  of  the  mineral  industries 
of  this  State. 

THE    BULLETINS. 

The  field  covered  l>y  the  books  issued  under  this  title  is 
shown  in  the  list  of  publications.  Each  bulletin  deals  with 
only  one  phase  of  mining.  Many  of  them  are  elaborately  illus- 
trated with  engravings  and  maps.  Only  a  nominal  price  is 
asked,  in  order  that  those  who  need  them  most  may  obtain  a 
copy. 

THE    REGISTERS   OF   MINES. 

The  Registers  of  Mines  form  practically  both  a  State  and  a 
County  directory  of  the  mines  of  California,  each  county  being 
represented  in  a  separate  pamphlet.  Those  who  wish  to  learn 
the  essential  facts  aboitt  any  particular  mine  are  referred  to 
them.  The  facts  and  figures  are  given  in  tabtilar  form,  and 
are  accompanied  by  a  topographical  map  of  the  county  on  a 
large  scale,  showing  location  of  each  mineral  deposit,  towns, 
railroads,  roads,  power  lines,  ditches,  etc. 

HOME    OF    THE    BUREAU. 

The  Mining  Bureau  occupies  the  north  half  of  the  third  floor 
of  the  Ferry  Building,  in  San  Francisco.  All  visitors  and  resi- 
dents are  invited  to  inspect  the  Museum,  Library,  and  other 
rooms  of  the  Bureau  and  gain  a  personal  knowledge  of  its 
operations. 

THE    MUSEUM. 

The  Museum  now  contains  over  16,000  specimens,  carefulh' 
labeled  and  attractiveh'  arranged  in  showcases  in  a  great,  well- 
lighted  hall,  where  they  can  be  easily  studied.  The  collection 
of  ores  from  California  mines  is  of  course  very  extensive,  and 
is  supplemented  by  many  cases  of  characteristic  ores  from  the 
principal  mining  districts  of  the  world.     The  educational  value 


y. 


y. 


(265) 


260  CAI.IKORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

of  the  exhibit  is  constantly  increased  by  substituting  the  best 
specimens  obtainable  for  those  of  less  value. 

These  mineral  collections  are  not  only  interesting,  beautiful, 
and  in  every  way  attractive  to  the  sightseers  of  all  classes,  but 
are  also  educational.  They  show  to  manufacturers,  miners, 
capitalists,  and  others  the  character  and  quality  of  the  eco- 
nomic minerals  of  the  State,  and  where  they  are  found.  Plans 
have  been  formulated  to  extend  the  usefulness  of  the  exhibit 
])>•  special  collections,  such  as  one  showing  the  chemical  com- 
position of  minerals;  another  showing  the  mineralogical  compo- 
sition of  the  sedimentary,  metamorphic,  and  igneous  rocks  of 
the  State;  the  petroleum-bearing  formations,  ore  bodies,  and 
their  country  rocks,  etc. 

Besides  the  mineral  specimens,  there  are  many  models,  maps, 
photographs,  and  diagrams  illustrating  the  modern  practice  of 
mining,  milling,  and  concentrating,  and  the  technology'  of  the 
mineral  industries.  An  educational  series  of  specimens  for 
high  schools  has  been  inaugurated,  and  new  plans  are  being 
formulated  that  will  make  the  Museum  even  more  useful  in  the 
future  than  in  the  past.  Its  popularity  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  over  one  hundred  thousand  visitors  registered  last  year, 
while  many  failed  to  leave  any  record  of  their  visit. 

THE    LIBRARY. 

This  is  the  mining  reference  library  of  the  State,  constantly 
consulted  by  mining  men,  and  contains  between  4000  and  5000 
volumes  of  selected  works,  in  addition  to  the  numerous  publi- 
cations of  the  Bureau  itself.  On  its  shelves  will  be  found  reports 
on  geology,  mineralogy,  mining,  etc.,  published  by  states,  gov- 
ernments, and  individuals;  the  reports  of  scientific  societies  at 
home  and  abroad;  encyclopaedias,  scientific  papers,  and  maga- 
zines; mining  publications;  and  the  current  literature  on  mining 
ever  needed  in  a  reference  library.  Manufacturers'  catalogues 
of  mining  and  milling  machinery  by  California  firms  are  kept 
on  file.  The  Registers  of  Mines  form  an  up-to-date  directory 
for  investor  and  manufacturer. 

The  librarian's  desk  is  the  general  bureau  of  information, 
where  visitors  from  all  parts  of  the  world  are  ever  seeking 
information  about  all  parts  of  California. 


(litiT) 


268  CAI.IFOKNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

READING-ROOM. 

This  is  a  part  of  the  Library  Department  and  is  supplied  with 
over  one  hundred  current  publications.  Visitors  will  find  here 
various  California  papers  and  leading  mining  journals  from  all 
over  the  world. 

The  Library  and  Reading-Room  aie  open  to  the  public  from 
9  A.  M.  to  5  p.  y\.  daily,  except  Sundays  and  holidays,  and  from 
9  A.  M.  to  12  M.  on  vSaturda>s. 

THE    LABORATORY. 

This  department  identifies  for  the  prospector  the  minerals 
which  he  finds,  and  tells  him  the  nature  of  the  wall  rocks  or 
dikes  that  he  may  encounter  in  his  workings;  but  this  depart- 
ment does  yiot  do  assaying  nor  compete  with  private  assayers. 
The  presence  of  minerals  is  determined,  but  not  the  percentage 
present.  No  charges  for  this  service  are  made  to  any  resident 
of  the  State.  Many  of  the  inquiries  made  of  this  department 
have  brought  capital  to  the  development  of  new  districts. 
Many  technical  questions  have  been  asked  and  answered  as  to 
the  best  chemical  and  mechanical  processes  of  handling  ores 
and  raw  material.     The  laboratory  is  well  equipped. 

THE    DRAUGHTING-ROOM. 

In  this  room  are  prepared  scores  of  maps,  from  the  small  ones 
filling  only  a  part  of  a  page,  to  the  largest  County  and  State 
maps;  and  the  numerous  illustrations,  other  than  photographs, 
that  are  constantly  being  required  for  the  Bulletins  and  Regis- 
ters of  Mines.  In  this  room,  also,  will  be  found  a  very  com- 
plete collection  of  maps  of  all  kinds  relating  to  the  industries 
of  the  State,  and  one  of  the  important  duties  of  the  department 
is  to  make  such  additions  and  corrections  as  will  keep  the  maps 
up  to  date.  The  seeker  after  information  inquires  here  if  he 
wishes  to  know  about  the  geology  or  topography  of  any  district; 
about  the  locations  of  the  new  camps,  or  positions  of  old  or 
al:)andoned  ones;  about  railroads,  stage  roads,  and  trails;  or 
about  the  working  drawings  of  anything  connected  with 
mining. 


/. 
/. 


(2(K>) 


270 


CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


MINERAL  STATISTICS. 


One  of  the  features  of  this  institution  is  its  mineral  statistics. 
Their  annual  compilation  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  began 
in  1893.  No  other  State  in  the  Union  attempts  so  elaborate  a 
record,  expends  so  much  lal^or  and  money  on  its  compilation, 
or  secures  so  accurate  a  one. 

The  State  Mining  Bureau  keeps  a  careful,  up-to-date,  and 
reliable  but  confidential  register  of  every  producing  mine, 
mine-owner,  and  mineral  industry  in  the  State.  From  them 
are  secured,  under  pledge  of  secrecy,  reports  of  output,  etc., 
and  all  other  available  sources  of  information  are  used  in 
checking,  verifying,  and  supplementing  the  information  so 
gained.  This  information  is  published  in  an  annual  tabulated, 
statistical,  single-sheet  bulletin,  showing  the  mineral  produc- 
tion by  both  substances  and  counties. 


TOTAL  GOLD  PRODUCT  OF  CALIFORNIA— 1848-1904. 


1848 1245,301 

1849 10,151,360 

1850 41,273,106 

1851 75.938.232 

1852 81,294,700 

1853 67,613,487 

1854  69,433,931 

1855 55.485.395 

1856 57.509,411 

1857 43,628,172 

1858 46,591,140 

1S59 45.846,599 

i860 44,095,163 

1861 41,884.995 

1862 38,854,668 

1863 23,501,736 

1864 24,071,423 

1865 17,930,858 

1866 17,123,867 

1867 18,265,452 


1868 $17,555,867 

1S69 18,229,044 

1870 17,458,133 

1871 17,477,885 

1872 15,482,194 

1873  15,019,210 

1874 17,264,836 

1875 16,876,009 

1876 15,610,723 

1877 16,501,268 

1878  18,839,141 

1879 19,626,654 

1880 20,030,761 

1881 19,223,155 

1882 17,146,416 

1883 24,316,873 

1884 13,600,000 

1885 12,661,044 

1886 14,716,506 

1887 13,588,614 


1888  ....  $12,750,000 

1889 11,212,913 

1890 12,309,793 

1891 12,728,869 

1892 12,571,900 

1893.  ...  12,422,811 

1894.  ...  13,923,281 

1895 15,334,317 

1896 17,181,562 

1897 15,871,401 

1898 15,906,478 

1899 15,336,031 

1900 15,863,355 

1901 16,989,044 

1902 16,910,320 

1903 16,471,264 

1904 19,109,600 

Total.  .11,414,856,268 


y. 
y. 


y. 


•■J 
y. 


(271) 


272 


CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 


COUNTY  RANK  IN  GOLD  PRODUCT  IN  1904. 
While  gold  is  still  the  leading  mining  product,  its  yield  no- 
longer  puts  the  greatest  gold-producing  county  in  the  first 
place.  The  petroleum  of  Kern  County  and  the  copper  of 
vShasta  give  them  precedence.  Gold  is  more  widely  distributed 
than  any  other  substance  thus  far  mined  in  California;  34 
counties  out  of  the  57  in  the  State  showing  a  gold  yield  in 
1904,  and  it  is  known  to  exist  in  several  others.  The  order  in 
rank  of  the  counties  of  the  State,  in  the  production  of  gold 
alone,  is  at  present  as  follows: 


r.  Nevada $3, 130.304 

2.  Amador .•  2,060,573 

3-  Butte 1,932,552 

4.  Calaveras    1,789,184 

5.  Tuohnune  1,563,907 

6.  Kern 1,426,523 

7.  Shasta 1,031,429 

S.  Siskiyou  .  . . '. 892,685 

9-  Placer    _ 778,355 

10.  San  Bernardino 595,828 

11.  Trinity     574,8x4 

12.  El  Dorado 474,994 

13.  Mariposa 429,771 

14.  Sacramento    419,287 

15.  Sierra 374,763 

16.  San  Diego 334,697 

17.  Plumas 270,439 

18.  Mono 268,930 

19-  i"yo 150,474 


20.  Yuba $139,528 

21.  Lassen 116,993 

22.  Madera    75,303 

23.  Humboldt 62,061 

24.  Stanislaus 50,000 

25.  Los  Angeles 12,402 

26.  Fresno    7,809 

27.  Riverside 7,488 

28.  Del  Norte 7,399 

29.  Monterey 6,941 

30.  Alpine     4,827 

31.  Ventura 2,700 

32.  Tulare 1,100 

33.  San  Luis  Obispo    ....  630 

34.  Mendocino 75 

Unapportioned 114,835 

Total $19,109,600 


STATISTICS.  273 

TOTAL  MINERAL  PRODUCT  OF  CALIFORNIA  FOR  1904. 

The  following  table  shows  the  yield  and  value  of  mineral 
substances  of  California  for  1904,  as  per  returns  received  at  the 
State  Mining  Bureau,  v'^aii  Francisco,  in  answer  to  incjuiries 
sent  to  producers: 

Oviaiitily.  X'aliif. 

Asbestos 10  tons  $162 

Asphalt 56, 187     "  672,910 

Bismuth 20     "  2,400 

Hiluininous  Rock     45,280     "  175,680 

Horax  (Crude) 45,647     "  698,810 

Cement 969-53^  bbls.  1,539,807 

Chrome 123  tons  I1845 

Clays  (Brick) 281,750  M  1,994,740 

Clays  (Pottery) 84, 149  tons  ^1,952 

Coal 79,062     "  376,494 

Copper 29,974,154  lbs.  3.969-995 

l''uller's  Ivarth  ....                  500  tons  9.500 

(ilass  Sand 10,004     "  ^    12,276 

Gold   19, 109,600 

(iranite 520,687  cu.  ft.  467,472 

Infusorial  Earth 6,950  tons  112,282 

Gypsum 8,350     "  56,592 

Lead 124,000  lbs.  6,270 

Lithia  Mica 64 1  tons  25,000 

I'jnie 579,451  bbls.  571,749 

Limestone 40,207  tons  87,207 

Macadam    ...         532,690     "  414,668 

Manganese   60     "  900 

^lagnesite  (Crude) 2,850     "  9.298 

Marble 55, 401  cu.  ft.  94,208 

Mica  50  tons  3,000 

Mineral  Paint   270     "  1.985 

Mineral  Water 2,430,320  gals.  496,946 

Natural  Cias 144,437  M  cu.  ft.  91,035 

Paving  Blocks 3,977  M  161,752 

Petroleum 29,736,003  bbls.  8,317,809 

Platinum i  ,849 

Pyrites 15,043  tons  62,992 

Quicksilver 28,876  flasks  1,086,323 

Rubble 1,764,208  tons  1,227,209 

Salt 95,968     "  187,300 

Sandstone 36-, 487  cu.  ft.  567, 181 

Serpentine 200  tons  2.310 

Soda     12,000     "  18,000 

Silver (Com.  value)  873,525 

Slate      6,000  squares  50,000 

Soapstone 228  tons  2,315 

Tourmaline    65,000 

Other  Gems 71,000 


Total  value $43,778,348 


18— BuL.  23 


274  CALIFORNIA   STATK    MINING    BUREAU 


MINING   BUREAU    PUBLICATIONS. 

Publications  of  this  Bureau  will  be  sent  on  receipt  of  the 
requisite  amount  and  postage.  Only  stamps,  coin,  or  money 
orders  will  be  accepted  in  payment.  ClU  publications  not 
mentioned  are  exhausted.) 

Attention  is  respectfully  called  to  that  portion  of  Section  S, 
amendment  to  the  Mining  Bureau  Act,  approved  March  lo, 
1903,  which  states:  "The  Board  (Board  of  Trustees)  is  here])y 
empowered  to  fix  a  price  upon,  and  to  dispose  of  to  the  public, 
at  such  price,  any  and  all  publications  of  the  Bureau,  includ- 
ing reports,  bulletins,  maps,  registers,  etc.  The  sum  derived 
from  such  dispositiou  must  be  accounted  for  and  used  as  a 
revolving  printing  and  publishing  fund  for  other  reports,  bul- 
letins, maps,  registers,  etc.  The  prices  fixed  must  approximate 
the  actual  cost  of  printing  and  issuing  the  respective  reports, 
bulletins,  maps,  registers,  etc.,  without  reference  to  the  cost  of 
obtaining  and  preparing  the  information  embraced  therein." 

Price.        Postage. 

Report  XI— 1892,  First  Biennial |i  00  |o  15 

Report  XIII — 1896,  Third  Biennial i  00  20 

Bulletin  No.    6— "Gold    Mill    Practices   in    California" 

(3d  edition) 5°  o4 

Bulletin  No.    9 — "  Mine  Drainage,  Pumps,  etc.,"  bound       60  08 
Bulletin  No    15— "Map  of  Oil  Citv   Oil   Fields,    Fresno 

County,  CaL"    05  02 

Bulletin  No.  16 — "Genesis  of  Petroleum  and  Asphaltum 

in  California"   (3d  edition) 3°  03 

Bulletin  No.  23— "Copper  Resources  of  California" 50  12 

Bulletin  No.  24— "Saline  Deposits  of  California  " 50  10 

Bulletin  No.  27 — "Quicksilver  Resources  of  California  "75  oS 
Bulletin  No.  30— "  Bibliography  Relating  to  the  Geology, 
Palaeontology,  and  Mineral  Resources  of  California,  in- 
cluding List  of  Maps " 50  10 

Bulletin  No.  31— "Chemical  Analyses  of  California  Pe- 
troleum"   02 

Bulletin  No.  32— "  Production  and  Use  of  California  Pe- 
troleum " 75  08 

Bulletin  No.  36 — "Gold  Dredging  in  California  " 50  06 

Bulletin  No.  37 — "  Gems  and  Jewelers'  Materials  of  Cali- 
fornia " 50  c6 

Bulletin  No.  39 — "Mineral  Production  of  California" — 

1904 02 

Bulletin  No.  40 — "Mineral  Production  of  California  for 

18  Years" 02 

Bulletin  No.  41— "Mines  and  Minerals  of  California" 04 

Reconnaissance  of  the  Colorado  Desert  Mining  District         15  02 

Map  of  Desert  Portion  Southern  California 10  02 

Map  of  Mother  Lode 05  02 

Gold  Production  in  California  from  1848  to  1905 02 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Plumas  County 25  oS 


LIST   OF   PUHLICATIONS.  275 

I'ricc.        fosln^e. 

Re>{ister  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Siskiyou  County $o  25  Jo  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Trinity  County    25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Lake  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  witli  Map,  Nevada  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Placer  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  ^L'lp,  HI  Doratlo  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Maj),  Inyo  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Shasta  County  25  08 

Register  <^f  Mines,  with  Map,  San  Hernardino  County  25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  witli  Map,  vSan  Diego  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Sierra  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  witli  Map,  Amador  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Tuolumne  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  ^L1p,  Hutte  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Mariposa  County    25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  ^Lap,  Kern  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Yuba  County 25  08 

Register  of  dil  Wells,  with  Map,  Los  Angeles  City.          .  35  02 

Mineral  and  Relief  Map  of  California    25  05 

IN    I'RKI'ARATION  : 

Map  and  Register  of  Santa  Barbara  County. 

Samples  (limited  to  three  at  one  time)  of  any  mineral  found 
in  the  State  may  be  sent  to  the  Bureau  for  identification,  and 
the  saiue  will  be  classified  free  of  charge.  It  must  be  under- 
stood, however,  that  no  assays  or  quantitative  determinations 
will  be  made.  Samples  should  be  in  lump  form  if  possible, 
and  marked  plainly  on  outside  of  package  with  name  of  sender, 
postoffice  address,  etc.  A  letter  should  accotnpan\-  samjile, 
and  a  sta)np  should  be  inclo.sed  for  rejilx. 


INDHX. 


Page 
AI.AMKUA  COl'NTY— description...  H4 
Mines  111  — 

.\lnia 144 

t.cona  Heights 144 

AI.IMNK  COl'NTY  — Description  199 

I-:arly  discovery  in   .  ...     23 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

Leviathan l!»9 

MorningStar 190 

Rogers,  "  I'ncle  Billy."  discovery     l".i9 

Stella   199 

AMADOR  COUNTY— Description 1«2 

.Minis  and  claims  in  — 

lluena  Vista 1S6 

Mull  Run 186 

Chaparral ISG 

Copper  Hill 18(i 

Forest  Home  Mining  Co 187 

lone  City 1^6 

Mineral  City 187 

Moon.   1.^5 

Mutual  Life  Insurance  Co.  187 

Xewton 183 

Russel   186 

Thayer 186 

Whittle,  W.  H 187 

Al'l'i;.VDIX.   26:> 

AKIZO.N.A.— Copper  product  of 21 

llKI/r,  COPPER,  SHAST.\  COUNTY  .     43 

<;eolog>'  of 53 

HKI.T,  SIKRRA  NKVADA  COPPKR..  149 
MROWNK.  J  ROSS-Report  on  copper  Jl 
HIM.Y  HII.I.  MINIi-Description...     75 

r.cology  of 60,  75 

History  of. 34 

lURKAU.  STATK  MINING 2C3 

CAI.AVKRAS  COUNTY— Description  188 
Mines  and  claims  in- 
Caledonian.   198 

Collier  197 

Ca>npo  Seco  194 

De  Martini  ranch 198 

Kagle 197 

Heckla 194 

McCarty,  Jackson 198 

Josephine 197 

Keystone 189 

Meteor    196 

Missenger  ranch    198 

Napoleon 196 

Pattee  ranch 198 

Penn  Chemical  Works 194 

Pool,  A.  S.   19S 


Page. 
CALAVERAS  COUNTY— CoNTINlKli. 
Mines  and  claims  in  — 

San  Domingo  Creek    198 

Satellite   194 

Star  and  Excelsior 197 

Union 189 

CALIFORNIA  COPPER  COMPANY..  218 
CALIFORNIA         STATE       MINING 

HIRlvAU 26.; 

CALIFORNIA      COPPER      PRODUC- 

TION-Inl901 9 

By  counties  since  1894 18 

Bycountiesin  1901 20 

For  fourteen  years,  g^raphic   19 

CALIFORNIA     MINERAL    STATIS- 
TICS          270,272,27:; 

CAMPO  SECO,  CALAVERAS  COUN- 
TY—Mines 194 

I.ode .  18S 

CO.\ST   RA.NGf;  DEPOSITS   97 

COLORADO-Copper  product  of 21 

COLORADO  I)F:SF;RT 259 

COLUSA  COUNTY— Description  .  129 

Mines  and  claims  in— 

Blackbird 1.12 

Gem   1.S2 

Gray  Eagle 132 

Lion   l.iA 

Mark  Hanna  Oil  Co 134 

Pacific 133 

Ruby  King  Co 133 

CONDITIO.N' OF  COPPER  INDUSTRY      9 
COPPF;r   KING   MI.NF: 226 

corpF;R  ORES  of  California...    12 

COPPEROPOLIS        LODE,        CALA- 

VI:kaS  COUNTY 188 

COl'l'HROI'OLIS.   MINF;S  AT  .      .  189 

C0PPF;R  world  .MINF: 254 

DEATH  V.\LLEY   .    .  213 

DEL  NORTE  COUNTY- Description  111 

Geology  of  copper  deposits 112 

Low  Divide  district,  map  of        11:! 

Mines  Mild  claims  in  — 

Alameda 115 

Alta 114 

Aurora.       114 

Bear's  Nest 115 

Call ll.-i 

Copper  Hill   IM 

Del  Norte ii6 

Doctor  Rock    116 

Eva 115 

Express lU 

(277) 


278 


INDEX. 


Page. 

DHL  NOKTR  COUNTY— Continued. 
Mines  and  claims  in— 

Five  Diamonds 115 

lliggins  Mountain 116 

Keystone 115 

Manunoth 114 

McKee 115 

Monkey  Creek   116 

Occidental lU 

Occidental  No.  2 114 

Prudential 116 

Tuesday  Morning .   .   116 

Union ..  11 1 

EL  DORADO  COUNTY- Description.  171 
Mines  and  claims  in  — 

.\gara  ISO 

Alabaster  Cave.. 176 

.Arizona 180 

Barklege  &  Miller '.: 178 

Bob 181 

Boston 180 

Bryant  ranch 180 

Cambrian    177 

Contraband  Tunnel ..    178 

Copper  Chief 180 

Cosumnes 178 

Dr.  Wren 180 

Homestead  177 

Kelley  Bros 176 

Lilyama 176 

Noonday 182 

Oest,  Peter 182 

Pioneer 177 

Rip  and  Tear 181 

Robert 180 

Woods.  W.  W 181 

K.KPOR TS,  FROM  SA.N  KR.\XCISCO, 

1862-1867 29 

1861-1874 30 

FOOTHILL  B1-;LT,  SIKRRA  NEVADA  149 

FRKSNO  COUNTY— Description 224 

Mines  and  claims  in— 

Anderson  &  Gist ..23:5 

Black  Mountain 2:!0 

Bodders&Co 2;{3 

Buck's  Peak 2.J2 

Copper  King 226 

Fresno 226 

Grubstake 230 

Happy  Camp 232 

Hildebrand,  .-v.  L 232 

Hinklc  Bros ZVi 

Imperial  Copper  M  Co 22'> 

Kanawy&Sons 233 

Mount  Sterling 230 

Painter 225 

Sunset 2.J2 

Terrill  233 

Wabash 230 

Wineberger,  Henry  232 


Page. 

GEOLOGY    OF    SHAST.\    COUNTY 
COPPER  BELT 53 

GLENN  COUNTY— Description 129 

Mines  and  claims  in  - 

Black  Buttes  . 1:!2 

Hudibras  181 

Knight.  H.  D 132 

Lehorn,  .A.  W 132 

Peckville,  claims  at 132 

St.  John  Development  Co 132 

HISTORICAL  NOTES— General 23 

Bully  Hill  Mine 34 

Mountain  Copper  Mine 31 

Shasta  County,  copper 31 

HUMBOLDT  COUNTY— Description     126 
Mines  and  claims  in- 
Crimson  120 

La  I'erine 128 

Rainbow 128 

Red  Cap  127 

Red  Lasseck 128 

I D.AHO— Copper  product  of 21 

INYO  COUNTY -Description 213 

Mines  and  claims  in — 

-A.  n  ton  &  Probst  2^8 

Blucjay 248 

Copper  King .: 248 

Copper  Knife 248 

Copper  Point 249 

CopperTail-. 249 

Dodd's  Springs 246 

Eureka 246 

Green  Monster 249 

Kingman 24> 

McConncll  &  Spear 248 

Navajo  Chief 245 

Silver  Hill 248 

Star 248 

Trail. 246 

Ubehebe 245 

llida  246 

Wisconsin 245 

KERN  COUNTY— Description  •2:17 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

Gallow  Glass 241 

Greenback 238 

Hooper,  J.  L --  241 

Maltby,  A.  J 240 

Manning,;.  R 241 

.Spa  and  Bonanza 241 

KEYSTONE     MINE,     CALAVERAS 

COUNTY 189 

L.^KE  COUNTY— Description 138 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

Christianson  ranch 139 

Copper  Prince  M.  Co  ViS 

Poe 139 

L.^KE  SUPERIOR— Copper  product  of    21 

L.ASSEN  COUNTY— Copper  in 15(J 


INDKX. 


27i> 


I'AGK. 

LOS    ANCHLKS    CoirNTY-Dcscrip- 

lion     .  'M) 

Historical  reference 2.S 

Mines  and  claims  iu — 

l-'ree  Cuba JGl 

Mi)ijni-y  Sc  Williams '^01 

I'alm  Uev.  Co.  .   261 

Van  Dyke,  W.  M 261 

MAMKKA  COINTY-Ucsoription  ....  217 
Mints  and  claims  in  — 

Adi)be  ranch 222 

Uig  Chief 22-2 

Buchanan    217 

California  Copper  Co 21S 

Copper  yneen 218 

Krohii.  Mrs.  I, 222 

Minaret  Mountains,  claims 217 

Questo 220 

Reed 222 

Ward,  C   M...   222 

Ward   J.  H 222 

MARIN  COINTY     Description    1 1:! 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

Bolinas  Copper  M.  Co H:j 

Pike  Culch  M    Co 143 

I'nion  Copper  M.  Co n:t 

MARIPOSA  COINTY  -Description..  20:: 

Mornitos  copper  belt 21:! 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

Harrctta  .  215 

Hruschi 21.'> 

Castignetto,  Daniel 215 

Cavan  M.  &  M.  Co 206 

Commissiona,  0 216 

Copper  Queen  216 

Coppertown  M.  &  S.  Co 21.S 

Cornett  ..   212 

Dias.  John      21;! 

Farrari  Bros      216 

Oreat  Northern 209 

Green  .Mountain  J04 

Halstead  ranch  .  215  ! 

Heiser,  George 216 

I,a  Victoria  213 

LoneTree 206 

Lone  Tree 213 

.Minarets,  claims  near 216 

I'ocahontas    .    . 209 

Rihns  ranch    215 

Ward,  claims 216 

White  Rock  Copper  King    210 

MKNDOCI.VO  Cot  .NTY-Description  1:M 
Mines  and  claims  in  — 

McGimpscy    136 

Native  Copper 135 

Og'e  13,5 

Pieta    136 

Redwood  Copper  Queen 136 

Red  Moun tain 135 

Thomas 1:J5 


I'AIW.. 

MKKCKU  COrNTY-Claims  in  — 

JosC-    146 

Victor  Bonanza 146 

MODOC  COr.NTY     Copper  iu 150 

MOJAVJ-:  DKSKRT 249 

MONO  COINTY     Description 242 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

(Joleta  Cons 243 

Santiago,  et  al 24:'. 

MONT.A N.\  -Copper  product  of.  21 

MOTHKR  LOOK     Relation  to  copper 

belt 2(11 

MOTNT    WHITNIIY 243 

MOTNTAIN  COIM'HR  MINK 

Analysis  of  matte  6."> 

Description 66 

Geology  of 62 

Historical   34 

Production  of 73 

NAPA  COUNTY— Description 139 

Mines  and  claims  in  - 

Napa  Copper no 

Search ..         14o 

NAPOLKON      MINK,     CALAVERAS 

COUNTY 196 

NKVADA— Copper  product   of 21 

XEV.\DA  COUNTY  — Description 162 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

.\rkansaw  Traveler li;7 

Biuger's  ranch 170 

Bitner,  C.  C 167 

California  G.  &  C.Co 167 

Kdison 171 

Green  I.^ad Iti7 

Hibber,  Henry 167 

.Mineral  Hill  M.  &S.  Co 167 

Nickerson  ranch 166 

Roberts,  Daniel 170 

Spenceville  Copper  Mine 16:; 

Worthier.  K.  T 171 

NKW  Mi;.\ ICO-  Copper  product  of  . .    21 
NKWTON  MINK,  AMADOR  COUNTY  l>>:i 
ORKS,  COPPKR,  OF  CALIFORNIA   ..     12 
ORK  DF:P0SITS  of  SHASTA  COUN- 
TY— Geology  of 57 

OWKNS  VALLKY 24:i 

PACIFIC  COAST  SMKI.TING  WKS  .  22s 

pf;n.n  chk.mical  works  .    .  p.ii 

PLACKR  COU.NTY-Description 172 

Mines  and  claims  in — 

Algol 173 

Big  Pine..  174 

Reed  Kstate. 174 

Valley  View     174 

PLl'MAS  COUNTY— Description    ....  152 
Mines  and  claims  in — 

Boyden.W.  P 15,s 

Blue  Bell  M  Co 15.) 

Co.smopolitaii  .      .  .  15.') 

Davis 15s 

Duncan  156 


2S0 


INDEX. 


Tage. 

Pi.l'MAS  COUNTY— Continued. 
Mines  and  claims  in — 

Kngle  Copper  M.  Co 158 

}';iiglc  Bros 158 

Husselnian  &  Shaw. 159 

Little  (".em 155 

Mam  moth 160 

Montgomery 154 

Polar  Star 151 

Reward  155 

Williams 155 

PRICK  OK  COPPER,  AVKKAGE  AN- 
NU.\L     -1 

PRICK,       THOMAS,       HISTORICAI, 
PAPP:r  26 

PROnUCTION,  COPPKR.    IN    CAIJ- 
KORNIA   - 

Annual  since  1882 17 

By  counties  in  1901 '.. 20 

By  counties  since  1894 18 

For  fourteen  years,  graphic 18 

Relative 20,  21 

PRODUCTION,  COPPER,    U.    S.    BY 
STATES 21 

PRODUCTION,     MOUNTAIN     COP- 
PER MINE - 73 

PRODUCTION,     SHASTA     COUNTY 

MINERAL 12 

PUBLICATIONS,     STATE    MINING 

BURP:aU 274 

RIVERSIDE  COUNTY— Description.  255 
Mines  and  claims  in — 

Anderson 257 

Badger  State 258 

Fluor  Spar 25S 

Homestake 257 

Iron  wood  district 258 

McCoy  Mountain  district 258 

Mountain  King 257 

Orphan  Boy 256 

Palen 256 

Randolph  &  Hamilton 257 

Shadow  Mountain  district 258 

Vulture  Crag 258 

SAN  BENITO  COUNTY— Claim  in- 
Lewis  Creek 146 

SAN    BERN.^RDINO   COUNTY— De- 
scription   249 

Mines  and  claims  in — 

Camp  Vera  262 

Copper  Mountain  M.  Co 251 

Copper  World 254 

Hudspeth,  H.  R .  255 

Juanita 253 

Juanita  Group 253 

Lava  Beds  district 254 

Lewis  &  Shafer 255 

Lytic  Creek 254 

New  York .      251 

Ord  ZM 


Pagk. 
SAN  BERNARDINO  COUNTY— CON- 

TINfED. 

Mines  and  claims  in — 

Peacock  district     254 

Rose      252 

Tiptop Z5l 

Von  Trigor 251 

SAN   I)IF;G0  COUNTY— Description.  259 
Mines  and  claims  in  — 

Barona 260 

Danes,  Lea 259 

SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  COUNTY  -Claims 
in — 

Guadalupe 14S 

Guerro  . 148 

Los  Osos 117 

Prodigal  Son 147 

Refugio . .  148 

Schneider  &  McCles 148 

Sky  Scraper 14,s 

Tiptop 147 

SHASIW  COUNTY— Copper  belt  of         43 

Copper  product  of    42 

Description 39 

Historical 31 

Mineral  product 42 

Mines  and  claims  in — 

Afterthought 92 

Arps  96 

Balaklala 84 

Black  Diamond 94 

Bohematosh 88 

Cowboy 94 

Doedollis 92 

Donkey 93 

Jvxcelsior 95 

Ferguson  &  Linibough 90 

Friday  &  Lowden     86 

Galvin 81 

Giant  Consolidated  81 

Golinsky   90 

Graves 90 

Great  Verde 90 

Gregory  &  Whalen    90 

Hartford. 93 

Jaegel 95 

Jumping-Jack 81 

Keystone 90 

King 81 

King  Copper 81 

Kosk  Creek 93 

Loraine 82 

Mammoth 87 

Mayflower 88 

McClure - 96 

Memorial 95 

Michigan. 95 

Mineral  Mountain 81 

Mount  Shasta  Gold  Mines  Corp'n.     51 
Northern  Light 95 


INDEX. 


281 


SHASTA  COINTY— CoNTINlFn. 
Muu-i  and  claims  in  - 
Ohio  Consolidated 

Koseman         - 

Schmidt  

Shasta  King 
Shasta  May  Hlossoni 

Spread  K aglc 

StowcU 

Sugar  I.oaf 

Summit .- 


I'AOK. 


'.•I 

93 

.I- 1 


liiitfd  Copper 82 


Waters 


82 


Wibsicr  Consol idated 82 

.    % 
.   152 


S'dalpom 

SI K K K A  CI )r NT Y—  1  Kscription 
Mines  and  claims  in 

Antelope  Neck 

Bassett's  Pride 

Hapgood  &  Milkr 


161 

161 

161 

roker  Flat  district 161 

/uver,  G 161 

SIKKKA  NKVADA  BKI.T 149 

SISKIYt)!' COL'NTY     Description     ..   102 
Mines  and  claims  in 

August  Flower  ..   l0-'> 

Blue  Ledge lOS 

Bonanza 10') 

Bonanza        . '"" 

H\innell .-         H'7 

ClearCreek 109 

Copper  Queen... .  105 

Kortuna 105 

Hidden  Treasure 105 

Hummer 104 

Huntley 105 

Indian  Creek 109 

Klamath 109 

l.ytle - 1W> 

Monarch. 106 

NiggerCreek 109 

IMutus 105 

Polar  Bear IWi 

Preston  Peak 110 

Rader 106 

Rainbow 107 

Rolhkoph 106 

Schnider    107 

Solomon 105 

Thanksgiving 106 

Turner  106 

I'nexpecled   107 

Yellow  Bultes 107 

SOLF;u.\1)  P.\SS— Copper  at 23 

SMKI.TKRS— 

Bully  Hill.  Shasta  County  ...     78 

California      Copper      Co  ,      Madera 

County 220 

Copper  King.  Fresno  County       .  2J8 

Earl V  smelters.       .     29 


Pa«;k. 
SMHI.rKRS-CONTlNrED. 

In  California,  186.S    -"' 

Mo\intain  Copper  Co. 70 

Pacific  Coast  Smelting  and  Refining 

Works -•is 

St)NOM.A  COINTY -Description  II" 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

.Altamont  U-i 

Archer  Tract 141 

Baby  Jack      -   1 1'- 

(Irizzly.       1 1-' 

Healdsburg  Lode 141 

Wall  Tract  141 

Ward  Tract    .  142 

SOIPH   l).\KOT.\  — Copper  product  of    Jl 
SOITHKK.N     AND    KASTEKN    DK- 

POSITS 212 

SPKNCK  MINKRAL  CO Ifvi 

SPKNCKVILLK  COPPKR  MINK 16:: 

STATISTICS     .Average  annual  price. .    21 

California  mineral    27(i,  272,  27:> 

Copper,  of  California 

By  counties  in  1901 "20 

By  counties  since  1894 18 

Fur  fourteen  years,  graphic .     19 

Since  1H82 -     17 

Kxports  copper,  from  San  Francisco, 

lS«-.l-74 30 

Kxports  copper  ore,  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, 1862-67 29 

Shasta  County,  1894-1'.K)0.  IJ 

United  States,  by  states 

In  1885.1890,1895,1900 21 

In  1900 22 

■11-:H.AM.\  county— Description    .    .  129 
Mines  and  claims  in  - 

Klder  Creek 131 

Kestner  it  Thompson 131 

Ferine,  L.  K.  131 

White  Bluff     131 

IKINITY  COPPKR  CO 50,81,82 

TRINITY   COUNTY -Description 117 

Mines  and  claims  in- 
Black  Palangns 124 

Cinderella 120 

Cold  Creek 118 

Copper  B\illion 120 

Copper  Queen  120 

Copper  Queen —  124 

Crown  Point 122 

Kureka 122 

Fortuna 122 

Granite 120 

Iron  Mountain  124 

Island  .Mountain  124 

Jackson  &  Carter 12-J 

Lambert    119 

Le  Blanc 122 

Lone  Pine       119 

Maddox      .   119 


282 


INDEX. 


Pa<;k. 

TRINITY  COUNTY— Continued. 
Minos  and  claims  in — 

Maitland   122 

Murphy 119 

Nonpareil  ..   120 

Pattie 119 

Shoemaker 122 

Vine  Oak.  119 

Tl'LARK  COl' NT Y— Description 233 

Mines  and  claims  in  — 

Barber 2:^6 

Dewey 236 

Grider,  W.  K. 234 

Keller,  C.  W 2;i6 

Powell,  W.  F 234 

Cloudy  River  caiion  claims 236 

Copper  Mountain  M.  Co 236 

TUOLUMXI-;  COUNTY— Description.  200 
Mines  and  claims  in — 
Blanchard  ranch I; 202 


Page. 
TUOLUMNE  COUNTY— Continued. 
Mines  and  claims  in  — 

Chinese  Camp,  claims  at '.iOl 

Donahue  ranch 202 

Don  Pedro  district. 202 

Kohl  ranch 201 

Mackay  ranch  ...   .     201 

Moccasin  Creek,  copper  at    2ui 

Oak  Hill 202 

Olson  ranch 201 

Shell  ranch 201 

Washington 202 

UNION    MINK,  CALAVERAS  COUN- 
TY.    189 

UTAH— Copper  product  of 21 

WYOMING— Copper  product  of 21 

YUBA   COUNTY— Description 171 

Copper  in — 

Brady  ranch 172 

Dempsey  ranch 171 


"'^*/4 


ef 


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^-cco„.p.„.  Bulletin  No.  23,  "U 


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esUED  By  THE 


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Copper  Resources  of  aKornU.- 


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